


Darkness and Madness

by AmeliaAsherWrites, TheDarkOne



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dark One Emma Swan, Dismemberment, F/M, Implied/Referenced Torture, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, Madness, Madswan - Freeform, References to Depression, References to Drugs, Romance, Soulmates, Two Emmas, Two Jeffersons, Violence, darkswan, realm jumping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-08 07:59:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 69,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14689845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmeliaAsherWrites/pseuds/AmeliaAsherWrites, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkOne/pseuds/TheDarkOne
Summary: The battle between good and evil has struck Storybrooke. Sides must be chosen, but one citizen who lives deep in the woods refuses to choose. That is until the Dark Swan (recently separated from her Savior half) decides to visit her erstwhile lover, Jefferson, to demand that he use his hat to fetch a token from another realm which will ensure her side wins the battle, otherwise he will never see his daughter again.Travels between realms cause a series of betrayals and tests of trust and true love, as well as an accidental swap of Jefferson's past 'Mad Hatter' with present day, mostly-sane Jefferson into a mad attempt to escape Wonderland.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work has been written in a role play (RP) format. Therefore, you will see the POV switch between Emma and Jefferson as denoted by the underlined name of the author who wrote each section. The story was too entertaining between us to not share it here. TheDarkOne has written Dark Swan and Savior Emma's POV. AmeliaAsherWrites has written Jefferson, Hatter, and Killian's POV. Please leave a Comment if you're enjoying the story. We'll appreciate it!

Jefferson

Jefferson pulled the curtains closed with an audible rattling of the curtain rings. The concern on his face didn't lessen even after turning from the windowsill and heading towards the closet where he stored the old leather hatbox. A closet he hadn't opened in years.

He'd take Grace and run. It was the only way to keep her safe. 

Something was going on out there. The skies had even turned a strange shade of yellow in response to the oddness felt in the air. It tingled with magic skittering along his skin. Even with the near insignificant amount he possessed and specific to opening portals with one specific hat, he could feel it. 

Being isolated in the thick of the forest didn't help his understanding of the happenings of the big shots in town. For a time, he'd made it his business to know what everyone was doing. What they ate for dinner, who they spoke to, what they liked, who they disliked. He needed to know everything so he would have the tools to get what he wanted back. 

For a time, his Grace was back home, all had been okay. For a while anyway. He'd calmed down, stopped using his telescopes for anything but astronomy, stopped spying (he didn't want Grace to see him acting mad, now did he?) and poured all of his focus on raising her in a sane, normal home. 

But now, something was happening and the fact that he didn't know what it was made him anxious. There was no time to find out. The sky had only gone odd once before and that was when he was in Wonderland just before the Dark Curse swept him out of his state of madness and deposited him flat on his back in a strange, silent, and much less colorful-in-comparison spans of a mansion. His hair had been cut by someone, he wore strange clothing, and the madness that made everything seem insignificant in the hellish land that had taken his wife and separated him from Grace was gone. For good, he now hoped. 

Yet he doubted it by how anxious he felt. 

Maybe he should wait. What if it's nothing? He could be wrong. Doubt it. It's all going to shit. 

His hand stilled on the doorknob to the closet. For Grace, wait. Be sure. Grumbling to himself in frustration and uncertainty, warring voices that still spoke in his mind when he was the most anxious, Jefferson pulled his phone from his pocket and thumbed across the screen until Emma's number showed in the contacts. He had her listed as Sheriff. Not Emma.

It had been five years, maybe six if that missing year he couldn't remember even counted, since they had met, and four or five years now since they spoke more than a passing 'Hi.' Since they had broken up. Since he'd told her he loved her and she couldn't return the sentiment. She wasn't into that sort of commitment. Why couldn't they just have a good time? 

It was fine. He brushed it off. Sure. He didn't need commitment either. They could have fun. She was a great mother to Henry. Grace needed a mother, didn't she? No. She had him, and he had her. That's all they needed. And that's what he told himself when Emma chose a pirate that had strolled into town with none other than the fucking Queen of Hearts of all people. It hurt. He felt betrayed. Not that she chose a pirate or even someone else, but that in association, she chose someone that worked for Cora. The one that cut his head off and entrapped him in a room for two years while the voices taunted and his finger tips bled.

Nope. It was just he and Grace. And for about five years, all had been well. 

And now the sky was yellow and the Sheriff wasn't answering her phone. "Fine!" The shout startled even himself. Grace was doing homework, but he didn't want to disturb her yet. Not until he was packed and ready. "Damn it," he muttered as he shoved the phone back in his pocket and opened the closet door.

Emma

On a hill at the edge of the forest surrounding Storybrooke Emma was looking up in the sky, watching the diffuse yellowish color that was slowly vanishing. She didn’t watch it for it’s uniqueness, but because it was the forerunner of changes.  
Only the tiny, sneery smile on her face gave away that she was looking forward to it. Ever since she had been freed of that pathetic better half of her she and The Evil Queen (Regina’s better half) had forged an alliance and recruited promising and powerful villains. Everyone except for… a special man who was neither hero nor villain; but he possessed something the ‘Dark Brigade’ - what a perfect name Emma thought - needed. 

Emma’s face darkened when she thought about the word ‘villains.' Misunderstood and sometimes misguided poor souls they were, who deserved a happy ending as well. That was exactly how they had tempted them. Promise them their happy ending once the so called heroes had been defeated.

The plan was a dead cinch with a tiny weak spot. Emma and Regina couldn’t simply kill their doubles without getting killed by themselves. The only way to get rid of them was using an item from Camelot.  
Emma curled her lips. There was only one way to get to Camelot, and she was looking forward to it.

Her freedom would begin with a wonderful game; and manipulation of a man she had felt attracted to a long time ago; before Killian Jones appeared in her life.  
Emma bared her teeth for a moment thinking of Jones.  
In the beginning he was a good pirate whom she payed respect, but her good half had tamed him, and made him a lapdog. Emma was disgusted even thinking about the talent that he had wasted; only to please her. 

Jefferson on the other hand was… different. It was time to refresh their relationship.  
She reckoned the mad hatter was aware something had happened, but Emma didn’t intend to poke him. However, she would need to offer some information.  
It was time to get her plan moving, Jefferson had become a bit nervous after two years in Wonderland. He would probably try to leave Storybrooke with his precious daughter.  
The daughter for whom he would do everything…

Emma smiled slyly, waved her hand and vanished. Her double preferred the bug to go somewhere, something Emma loathed; and she really needed to find another name for her double or better, herself.

Appearing near Jefferson’s house, Emma looked down on herself. She was still wearing black leather, something she had to change before visiting her former lover.  
Magic was so useful…  
A moment later she was wearing the typical Emma style - Jeans, shirt, red leather jacket, hair down.  
She checked her appearance one last time before she went to the door, and rang the bell.

Jefferson

Rooting through layers of dusty boxes, old shoes, and other things carelessly stored in the closet, Jefferson's fingers found the leather strap atop the oddly shaped box. "There you are," he said under his breath. The ticket to freedom. 

The hat had been an object that caused death and loss, madness from years of separation. A tool he should loathe and never use again, but he knew how to use it properly, not selfishly. This time would be different because he wasn't using it for monetary gain. He would use it to save their lives. The rest of the people farther into town were already screwed. He couldn't and wouldn't try to save anyone else. The only good thing Regina had done for Jefferson and Grace was putting the stately mansion on the edge of town. Easily forgotten. The isolation was to their benefit now. 

Just as he was beginning to pull the box from the closet, the doorbell rang. His back tensed, fingers released the leather strap, and he stood upright again. Staring towards the front door, his eyes widened. No one ever came out to the mansion. No one. 

He hastily shoved the box further back into the closet and pushed the door as he strode to the front door. He didn't realize the closet door remained ajar.

Carefully, he unlocked and pulled open the front door just enough to see who was out there. The sight beyond was a surprise. She must have noticed his missed call. That would explain the sudden visit. But why hadn't she simply returned his call?

Shaking off the prior doubts, he pulled the door open enough for her to enter. "Emma! I'm glad to see you. Please come in." His voice hushed as he looked with suspicion behind her into the yard and to not disturb Grace. With one final glance towards the sky, he shut the door.

The Savior come to visit at a time like this? Lucky? Would she ask him to get involved in town? Perhaps the visit wasn't so fortuitous as he'd first assumed. He shouldn't have called. Simply grabbed Grace and fled immediately. 

Ushering her towards the very same sitting room he'd first entertained her years ago when he spiked her tea, he attempted a smile, perhaps a little too forced. "Would you like tea? I was just going to start the kettle." A lie of course, but tea sounded like a damn good idea.

Emma

Emma hated being forced to act like her pathetic other half. Perhaps she had been too hasty ringing the doorbell. Should she smile? Look worried? Surprised? Break into tears?  
She hadn’t much time to think about it, because the door was opened ajar by Jefferson.  
Still good looking Emma thought, and decided a slight smile as “surprise guest” wouldn’t be a bad idea.  
It seemed to work. Jefferson pulled the door open and invited her in. Of course he was surprised, but her presence was would be easy to explain.

“Jeff- erson!” Emma stumbled over his name. Their romance had long been over, and the real Emma would officially show up as Sheriff before it’d become personal. That meant his full name was appropriate; for now.

“I’m sorry to show up here unexpected, but it’s a pleasure to see you again too. And I have a good reason for dropping by.”  
Too much? Emma hoped not, and stepped inside. What did Jeff say? He was glad to see her? Perfect. She noticed Jeff’s look while passing him. She also noticed a part of the hat box in the closet, and a smile appeared on her lips, unseen by the hatter.

The house hadn’t changed since Emma had been here last time, what was positive. Emma liked knowing exactly where she was and what was near her. Grace’s room was probably still upstairs. Well, that was enough to know.  
Meanwhile Jefferson had closed the door and led Emma into the sitting room with the piano.

He offered her tea (a lie, of course, her lie detector was also working for her darker part) and Emma couldn’t bite back a sarcastic smile; however, she didn’t comment on it, but only said, “No thanks. I really don’t have time for tea.”  
She started to pace up and down before the couch, intending to give Jeff the feeling she was worried and nervous. How pathetic.

Eventually she looked at him, and paused.  
“Something has happened. Something… terrible. Regina, she… she was split into a good and evil half.”  
She was now looking directly into Jefferson’s eyes, and stepped closer until she was standing in front of him.  
“The Evil Queen is back, and I need your help to defeat her.”  
She tried to give him that “I’m deeply worried but with your help I’m scared of nothing” - puppy eye look, hoping it would help getting him into helping her.

Jefferson

'You don't need a reason,' he started to say, but firmed his lips into a line. She wouldn't need a reason to stop by on any other non life-threatening day, but with the potential for the world ending via magical storm or whatever the hell was going on out there, perhaps she had a reason after his phone call summoning her. 

Who was he to suppose they could just slip back into old times again so easily even if it felt nice that she stopped by? They had both purposely avoided conversation for years. He didn't exactly hold a grudge anymore, but he wasn't going to just ask how she and the pirate were doing either. And as she said, this wasn't the time for tea or familiar chats. 

He nodded as if he understood the reasoning and leaned against the grand piano, his arms crossing over his chest. Watching her pace, she was just as nervous as he was. But she was showing it. He wasn't. Was he? He furrowed his eyebrows just to seem nonplussed by the situation going on in town. 

And then she informed him of exactly what he had wanted to know when he tried calling. Or rather, never wanted to hear. The Evil Queen was back. "Shit," he whispered, the word betraying his attempt at appearing calm. He was right in wanting to flee immediately. 

His eyes remained on Emma as she approached stopping just in front of him. Dropping his arms to his sides, he stood from leaning against the piano. She was close. He could just reach out, fingers brushing into her opened jacket to glide across the material of her shirt, pull at her back to draw her closer. The move would be like second nature. If it was five years ago. But it was not. And he could not touch. He knew that and glanced away from her pleading eyes, his fingers instead curling into loose fists at his sides.

"Emma." This was rather awkward to say. "I can't get involved. I have my daughter to think of." Making eye contact again, he wanted to impart the seriousness of his wish upon Emma. Appeal to her parental side so that she could understand why. Dipping his head closer to her, he added, "She's all I have left. And I'm all she has left." Meanwhile, Emma had the pirate, and her parents, hell, she had the whole town on her side. With the exception of a few notable villains, of course. But that was not his problem.

Emma

The damn daughter, he was only thinking about her. Good on one hand, annoying on the other.  
However, Emma had just started. She reckoned her puppy eyes look wasn’t going to work, time to let Sheriff Swan call it a day, and switch to Emma.

His body language spoke volumes; she still had that effect on him, but he was keeping his distance.  
The fact that he couldn’t keep eye contact confirmed it. He was struggling. He wanted to touch her. It was like when they had been together. But he resisted.

Fuck you, Jones, Emma thought. The fucking pirate in Emma’s life was making things complicated.

“Jeff,” she said as softly as she could, trying to put as much emotion in her eyes and voice as possible. She reached out with her hand, intending to touch him. Somewhere. His chest would be a good spot. Melodramatic, right above his heart. Clawing her hand slightly once she would make contact, stroking her fingernails gently over his shirt. Only to let her seem being more desperate. She had to try. And keep acting.

She wanted nothing more than grabbing him by his shirt, and pull him towards her. She imagined burying her hand in his hair, and press her lips onto his. Wildly, short-tempered, and greedily. He was a good kisser and even better in bed. It could be so easy but there was Emma and Hook.

“Jeff, please, I promise you to keep your daughter safe, but you’re the only who can help me.”  
She needed to lie.  
“Hook, I mean, Killian,” she corrected herself, having it planned to make it obvious something wasn’t right.  
“We… have some difficulties. I don’t know what to do. Please Jeff,” her voice was only a whisper, her hand was so closer over his chest, right where his heart was.  
For a moment she considered to simply rip it out, but this would blow her cover.

“I need you.”

Jefferson

What did she mean she and Hook were having difficulties? "Sorry," he mumbled, not exactly meaning it. He didn't want Emma in pain, of course, for the sake of their past - he did care about her - but he had no love for the pirate whatsoever. 

Jefferson lowered his head, breaking eye contact. Her hand was so close to his chest. Was she seeking permission? What the hell? he figured, and moved to close the space so that her fingers would touch him. They were so close now, he could smell her in a pleasant way. Not quite what he remembered of Emma, but close enough. It had been a while after all.

He was selfish enough to want both her help and maybe a little mutual expression of what they once had meanwhile denying her any help in return. He should feel bad about it, but Grace would always be the priority. He'd learned that lesson the hard way, and that was something he would never regret. Prioritizing his daughter.

His fingers raised and lightly touched the zipper of Emma's jacket and gave it a slight tug in distraction to draw her attention to his hand. "You'll keep her safe?" She was the Savior. She had magic. She could do it. He was desperate and his expression likely mirrored that. Couple that with how desperate Emma was - it sounded like she didn't have the pirate's help anymore - and maybe they could help each other. 

But... what if she failed to keep Grace safe? Could he really place all of his bets on Emma's success even with his involvement? Again? He'd done that before and it landed him a croquet mallet to the head and a kick to the chest right out the window. He had apologized after the Dark Curse broke, she had forgiven him because he had been right after all, and what ensued between them had been fast and passionate, hungry for companionship, for similar needs to be satiated. But, as usual, disappointment and separation followed. 

Really, Grace's best chance was to leave with her father. Go, and be done with this town. His being done with the Evil Queen and the Savior and all of these problems that kept disrupting their lives. It was the safest bet.

Emma

Emma tried hard to look sad when Jefferson expressed his “sympathy” for her difficulties with Jones.  
She decided to cement her story a bit. “I thought he had changed, but it seemed I was wrong. He played with my feelings.”  
She swallowed visibly, hoping it would look like she had a lump in her throat.  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t come here to talk about him.” 

Her hand did exactly what it was supposed to do by now, and it had some effect on Jefferson. His hand was on the zipper of her jacket.  
Emma didn’t hesitate, but used the moment to put her other hand on Jeff’s hand, wrapping her fingers around it and pressing it gently.  
She had to fight her instincts once more that told her to pull him close and simply kiss him. But that wasn’t going to work. She had to be patient, do it slow.

“I know your daughter always comes first, but I promise you I can keep her safe. I would never let any harm come to her, you know that!”  
Ugh, that little brat. Emma wished Grace had never been born. Jefferson’s concern about the girl annoyed her. She needed him to be focused on her.

She withdrew her other hand from his chest, making sure her fingers were sliding a last time over his shirt before she covered his hand with both of her hands, pulling him subtly closer.  
“I missed you, Jeff. I'm just realizing how much.”  
She was looking back and forth between his eyes and lips, sending clear signals. 

Jefferson

"Of course," Jefferson nodded. He didn't want to hear about Jones either. Trying to look as if he was actually sorry about her predicament with the pirate, he listened anyway.

When her hand wrapped around his and the hand on his chest slid along his shirt, it was as if electricity shot through him and his breath hitched in his throat. Could she really keep Grace safe if he helped? They'd both get what they want... but Emma seemed to be dealing with yet another man that would play with her feelings because he wasn't so convinced yet. 

He wasn't too foolish to miss that she was attempting to use him either for his help. You just realized you lost the pirate so why not go to option number two? How nice. But he kept his sarcastic thoughts to himself. They would only hinder him from getting what he wanted and what he wanted was sending signals to him that he really didn't want to deny. He was having trouble saying no in this close proximity anyway. 

Smirking, because being needed (as she said) was an ego boost to the side of him that was anything but a father, the side that was an opportunistic portal jumper, charismatic conman, and driven to get what he wanted, he finally brought up his free hand and cupped Emma's cheek. If he was reading her right by her grip of his hand and by the way she was looking at him with desperation - and he thought he was, always had been good at reading people - she was asking for more than help with the Queen.

"It's funny how time doesn't matter when we both want something." He wanted safety, she promised it. But he also wanted Emma. Five years hadn't diminished that. Merely pushed it aside for a time. There was less than a foot of space between them, but he closed the gap by leaning in to taste her lips gently but with enough pressure to show that he meant this, wanted it. His fingers slid back from her cheek to twine in her hair, pulling her hair in a tug, drawing her closer. What he'd intended as a simple kiss, had turned into anything but. It had been too many years without Emma in his life and it struck him instantly that he wanted her again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is where the Mature rating kicked in and it pretty much continues off and on through out.

Emma 

He would give in to her, Emma had a feeling he would. Even if he might think he was only used as a passable replacement for Jones, Emma would show him that he wasn’t.

This might be the only part in her game that was not set up. She wanted this man, she wanted to reunite with him; not only because of his ability to jump through portals, but because he was not that whimpering doll Emma had turned Jones into. She prefered a man with character, someone who would reject, and refuse her sometimes so a relationship stayed interesting. Of course she would get what she wanted; she always did. Well, at least her better part.

She focused on Jefferson again. He was finally touching her, caressing her cheek, and he had said something. Emma pressed her face into his hand, enjoying his touch, and taking her time to repeat his words in her mind, getting its content.

“I want you,” she whispered back before feeling his lips on hers.  
His hand was suddenly in her hair, twisting it around and pulling her closer to deepen the kiss.  
Emma wrapped one arm around his neck, while her other hand slid down to his waist, tucking at his shirt so her fingers could find a way under it.

Feeling his warm skin under her hand felt like fire rushing through her veins, and she pressed against him tighter, trying to invade his mouth with her tongue. This was what she wanted. Emma would show him what passion really meant.

Jefferson

I want you. Those three words were enough because he hadn't been wanted in far too long. Her hand had found its way under his shirt and against his skin, pressing her body against his. This was what he wanted. All of this. Allowing her entry with the demanding kiss, he matched her in fire and spirit. His heart immediately began to beat faster, the thrill and excitement he'd nearly forgotten fueling his urges to have her against a wall, fast and primal. 

Had it been like this between them before? It had been exciting but this was more. Driven to fuck her against a wall until she screamed his name? What the hell was wrong with him? Who cares?! his inner voice yelled back. He still loved her, he realized then, and deepened the kiss which fueled a reaction to his core. Love. "Wow," he breathed against her lips wholly surprised.

With an arm around her lower back, as if in a dance, he stepped forward, leading Emma backwards until she was pressed against the wall striking a shelf in the process. A thump rattled the glasses. His eyes widened at the noise, so he listened for any telling noises from upstairs that he may have disturbed Grace, but heard none.

With a sigh, he broke the kiss to pay particular attention to pushing her hair aside so that he could trail his lips along her jaw to her ear, to her neck, bending his tall frame to reach her collar bone. "I want you, too," he whispered against her skin. "But we can't do this right now." That statement was rather ludicrous because his hands were busy traveling down to scoop her up by the behind hoping she'd hold on better.

 

Emma

Emma felt everything more intense. In her mind she had separated herself from the ‘weak’ Emma what helped her to feel superior. Something in Emma was always holding her back, being skeptical and careful. Not that she didn’t enjoy a good romance, but she never opened up completely. What she did was never wholeheartedly.  
Contrary to her. What she did, she did with abandon. Loving someone, killing someone, torture someone or wanting something.

So when Jefferson kissed her, Emma really did feel love and passion for him. There was a sudden puff of wind that made her hair flop, and she opened her eyes in time to catch the glimpse of a rainbow colored wave.  
Emma couldn’t believe it. It had to be true love’s kiss.  
In the same moment Jefferson mumbled a “wow”, but his eyes were still closed. So Emma was pretty sure he felt something, but didn’t realize it was TLK.

How perfect, she thought. There was no doubt anymore he had fallen for her. This would make things easier to get what she wanted. She had been concerned about Jones, that Jefferson would hold back because he might think they were still together, but this turned out to become better than she thought.

She concentrated on Jeff again, when she felt him becoming the ruthless lover she wanted him to be. Still kissing her, he was shoving her against the wall, not caring about furniture in their way. Emma didn’t care either, letting her tongue wander around in his mouth, and licking his teeth.

Suddenly he broke the kiss and sighed. Emma looked at him, frowning. Had it been too much?  
No, it was nothing she had done, as Jeff was now pushing her hair aside so he could place kisses down her jaw, and neck, up to her collarbone.  
No, this was about his damn daughter, Emma realized the moment when he told her that he wanted her as well, but not yet.

His hands however told her something else. Emma smirked, and her hands found a way under his shirt again, shoving it up so she could reach his chest. She found his nipples and started to circle around them, making sure her he would feel her fingernails.  
Then she clutched his nipples, using them to pull him closer, but made sure she didn’t cause him any pain.  
“I can help with that,” she whispered, and kissed him again.  
“I just need to use a little bit of magic making sure we’re undisturbed for a while…”

Her hands were no gliding down his flat belly before she wrapped her arms around him, trying to find a way under his waistband on his back.  
“I’ve waited so long for this moment…”

Jefferson

His shirt was being pushed up and when her fingers squeezed, he gasped, his head jerked back from her. This was kinkier than they'd played before. "What have you been up to?" Jefferson grinned, but regretted the question immediately. If she'd learned these dirty tricks from the pirate, he did not want to know. But she was pulling him back towards her and he moved willingly lest her nails dig in. 

To distract himself and her from answering the question, he pushed her shirt up as well, cupped her breasts, full in each hand so that each swelled above her bra and that his face could pay particular attention to one, then the other. 

Whatever her hands were busy doing next with the back of his trousers, he realized then, they couldn't do all of this against the wall in the den. They needed a guest room with a door that locked. 

Giving one breast a gentle bite between his teeth, he took a ragged breath and stood, though his face was flushed with need. "Guest room." His eyes shot towards the door and in the direction of the room. It was in the back of the house, still on the first floor. Farthest room from Grace's. "Do your magic so we have privacy."

With eagerness in his eyes, he pulled Emma's shirt back down, regretfully hiding those delicious mounds from sight again, and with ragged breath, pulled at her hand towards the room. This is a stupid mistake, his conscience spoke up again. The world is ending and you want to take the time to fuck the savior? Idiot. With a pained look, he studied Emma's face. No time for tea, but time for this? "Emma... are you sure you want to do this?" He could kick himself for even asking, but something was bothering him about this and he wasn't sure if he was overreacting.

Emma

So his hands were giving away what he really wanted. Emma smirked, and gasped for breath when he returned the favor and cupped her breasts.  
It felt so good!  
“Like what you see?” she teased, keeping her voice low and seductive.  
Her fingers had found a way under his waistband, but before she could slide deeper he tweaked her breast with his teeth, pulling back.

Emma smirked when he said “Guest room.”  
“Good idea.” As requested she used her magic, casting a protection spell around the house so no one could leave or enter.  
Then Jefferson took her hand, and pulled her towards the said room.  
But then he hesitated. Emma tried not to roll her eyes when he asked for confirmation.  
Did she want to fuck him? Yes. Did she want him to fuck her? Yes!

Instead of answering his question, Emma grinned at him broadly, opened the door and shoved him inside. With another gesture of her hand she locked the door and casted also a dampening spell around the room.  
“The door is locked, and no one will hear what is going on inside here. Does that answer your question?”

Emma let her eyes wander down his chest before she grabbed the button border of his shirt and tore it open, shoving the cloth over his shoulders to get rid of it.

Jefferson

That was not what he'd expected. To be shoved into the room. Manhandled by Emma. He jogged in backwards at her shove, chuckling with incredulity. So she was sure. Clearly.  
"Yeah, it does." 

He would have pulled open the buttons on his shirt, but before he could blink, Emma had ripped his shirt open. Shocked again, he didn't know what had gotten into Emma. She was so different than he remembered! More wild! 

He helped her get his arms out of the sleeves and threw the shirt and scarf to the floor. Now freed from the restrictive articles, he flexed his arms behind his back to limber up quickly and to stave off the intimidation bubbling up at her actions. He'd need to react fast before she did something else. "So that's how it's going to be?" Reaching for her hips, Jefferson threw Emma to the bed, careful to avoid her striking one of the bedposts, his own look darkening with a grin.

She had far too many clothes on. "Strip," and in ordering her to do so, he toed each of his shoes off, then pushed his trousers down so that when he stood again, he was bared. 

The room was sound proofed, he gathered from her gesture, and because of that let down his guard. She'd seen the scar ringing his neck countless times. Emma never seemed one to care about things like that, so he had no reason to be self conscious now. 

It was just... that odd feeling he had again. As he trailed his fingers up her leg, he wondered what it was that made things seem so different. She was different. Still what made her the person he enjoyed being around, but edgier. Not that he saw anything wrong with that. He could play along. 

After Emma was undressed, he would take a step closer to the bed so that his thighs struck the blanket, and pulled her to the edge. Beautiful. The word flitted across his awareness. That's what she was to him. Open and eager to share herself and her time. Always had been. Before. Now, she was his again by being there with him. He wouldn't give up again so easily like before. That meant he would have to help her with the Queen. "Fuck," he muttered under his breath realizing he'd gotten himself ensnared and it was his own doing. Eyes to Emma's, he hoped she misunderstood the oath. "You're perfect," he said quickly as an explanation and pulled her to him.

Emma

Jefferson was helping. Brilliant. Emma let her eyes wander down his naked, upper body, seeing muscles flexing under his skin. His arms looked as strong as usual, something Emma liked.  
A man with the power to tame her. As long as she would allow it at least.  
Her hands were moving to his pants, intending to open them and strip them off as well.  
But this time Jeff was faster.

“That’s exactly how it’s going to be,” Emma confirmed, and gasped in surprise when Jeff grabbed her by her hips and threw her onto the bed.

Emma couldn’t hold back a grin. He knew what she liked. His expression became darker, tempting, and alluring. He ordered her to strip, and Emma was tempted for a second to disobey; but she could play the rebellious Emma at a later time. For now, she obeyed.

Since she laid on the bed, and Jefferson had made quick work of his own clothes, she stayed in the position, and bent her body back and forth, while she got rid of her own clothes. She could use magic, but she wanted to see Jefferson’s expression when she peeled off layer by layer, lifting her breasts and hips invitingly.

Her jacket and top were the first items that landed on the floor, followed by her boots that she simply stripped off with her feet.  
Then she rolled over to her side, making sure to face Jefferson while she opened her bra behind her back, and slid it off as well.

Her full, bared breasts were filling his vision, and Emma allowed herself a soft moaning before her hands slid down to her pants. She opened the button, and shoved the pants together with her thong over her hips and knees. She bent her knees, spreading her thighs as much as possible to give Jeff an extra view between her legs before she removed her pants along with her socks.

She kicked it to the ground, and laid there for a moment, her firm breasts inviting him to knead them, her legs slightly parted, signalizing him to explore her secrets.  
But Jefferson didn’t take her yet; instead he pulled her to the edge, and devoured her with his eyes.  
Emma made sure he could see as much as possible, and had to hold back a giggle when she heard him say “fuck”.

She knew it was an expression for his inability to resist her, but Emma would take the opportunity and actually do as he ordered.  
His eyes were on hers, and while he tried to talk himself out of it, Emma only smirked, and her hand clasped his manhood.

“As you wish,” she only said, before her hands started to work on him.  
She looked up at him, wanting to see his expression. 

Jefferson

Being held in her grip, Jefferson's hands stilled on Emma's hips. With a groan, he closed his eyes and bit his lip. His fingers dug in with the heightening sensations she was causing to build within him. 

"No, I want you now or this isn't going to last." Grabbing her wrist to stop her motions, his hips surged forward as his other hand scooped behind her to pull her flush against him, encouraging her long legs to wrap around his waist for better leverage, pushing her down until he was poised to sink into her depths. As he leaned in to kiss her, once their lips met, he again felt the rightness of their joining thrum in his heart. He groaned again as he slid into home. 

Staring into her eyes, his mind, distracted as it was, continued to question this. The pleasure she was willing to impart on him and what he'd be willing to do for her was more than he'd expected when waking up that morning. Why now? Why not years ago? She had given him up as easily as he'd given her up. But the fire he could feel burning between them now begged question as to why it had been so easy to leave before but impossible to fathom now.

"You're mine, Emma." One hand remained on her hip to keep her balanced while the other glided up to cup the back of her neck to encourage her to look at him. "I'm not letting you go again." The rhythm of his hips pumping into her heat increased, faster, rougher, more primal just as he'd wanted. To claim her as his and to be sure she knew it.

Emma

Jeff was reacting promptly to her treatment, but he was also impatient as it seemed.  
He grabbed her wrist, and brought her in a position that made it easy to enter her. And that’s all what he wanted. At least he told her so.  
Emma was willing to give him satisfaction, and wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling him deep inside her.  
She returned the kiss and couldn’t hold back a moan when he started to move in her.

Omg, how could she ever have let this man go? Emma closed her eyes, her hands clinging around his neck, using his body for support of her own movements.  
She started to contract her inner muscles, making her entrance tight for him, and massaging him in the same moment.  
Sex with Jeff was so much better than with Killian, but Emma knew it was mostly Emma’s fault the pirate had held back.

Contrary to Jeff. He held her easily in position, and Emma opened her eyes again, staring in his.  
“You won’t lose me again,” she answered, and really meant what she said.  
For a moment she felt bad about using him, but on the other hand she didn’t fake loving him, she really did. Having sex and being together was something different. There were some things Emma had to do, and she would do whatever was necessary to get it.  
Having her lover back was the icing on the cake. Why shouldn’t she combine business and pleasure?

His thrusts were getting faster, deeper and more uncontrolled. Emma buried her face on his shoulder, placing kisses on his throat, not caring about the scar.  
She felt him swelling a bit more in her, and tried to contract her muscles even tighter.  
Emma felt Jeff would climax soon and her hands slid down to his buttocks, grabbing him tight.  
He stiffened suddenly, and Emma felt something warm filling her.

“We need to do that again,” she whispered, staying in this position until he was ready to release her. 

Jefferson

The moment Emma clung to him, kissing his neck, he almost broke. A place of shame for him as it was a mark of failure and a sign of the madness that had plagued the Hatter for years - still somewhat affected him now - and she was kissing him there. She didn't care about that failure but showed love to him by proving it. 

His breathing was coming out in a pant as he wrapped his arms tightly around her back. Her hands squeezed his ass and the pent up feelings of increased pleasure and love were the death of him. He let out a cry - it had been years after all, Emma being the last one he'd laid with - and uttered an, "I love you," as his body shuddered.

She was still clinging to him after, whispering encouraging words for a next time. He was trying to catch his breath but let out a quiet laugh. Gripping the bedpost, he gently laid Emma down, still connected, and leaned over her to kiss one of her breasts, gently kneading the other. "We will." Uttering the words were still on a rasp of voice. His head was still spinning from the whirlwind of lovemaking they had just experienced. 

But remembering that the world was ending outside their bubble of safety outside the mansion, he pulled his hips back, disconnecting them, and flopped with semi exhaustion on the bed next to her.

Emma

Hearing Jeff saying he loves her brought a mixture of pleasure and also partly guilt. If there would be a way to go this road together, if she would know for sure he would be on her side.... but she couldn’t rely on his oath of love. He would always choose his daughter over her if things get messy.  
No, she had to make sure he would do what she wanted him to do.

Emma sighed, it could have been so wonderful. But the quick bed intermezzo had been enjoyable, and didn’t interfere with her plans.  
Since she couldn’t bring herself to say that she’d love him too, she continued kissing his scar. She knew he was ashamed of it, and it was cold calculation kissing him there, showing him she didn’t care of his stigma.

He was satisfied. Emma knew he was when he let her down, still resting inside her and started kissing and kneading her breasts.  
“I can’t wait,” she replied to his question, and let her fingers slide down his back before he drew back and rolled over to her side, lying there to recover.

Well, obviously he was finished for now. Time to get back to work.  
Emma got into a sitting position, slid from the bed and stood up. Once standing she faced him, giving him a beautiful sight.

“I think taking a shower would take too long. If you don’t mind, I can help us with that - again.”  
It only took a gesture, and Emma was back in her clothes, clean and refreshed. 

Jefferson

Jefferson made an unintelligible noise at her question only half understanding it. He realized what she meant when he felt a whoosh of magic flow over his body and found himself clothed again, no longer sticky with perspiration and other bodily fluids. Clean. He was still recovering, but his heart rate was returning to normal. 

Blinking wide-eyed at the sight of them both clothed again, he slowly sat up. His hand ran over his hair. Perfectly back into place. "Wow. Magic suits you." Grinning at how easily this was coming to her, he really couldn't say he'd ever seen Emma so ready to use magic like this. It wasn't a burden to her anymore, but a gift now. 

Feeling more like himself, he scooted off the bed, his eyes still on Emma, the grin turning to a smirk. He was quite pleased with himself and how the afternoon had turned out despite his prior fretting. 

"You've really come a long way in five years. Feeling more comfortable with magic now?" His hand slipped around her waist and he bent to place a quick kiss to her cheek, noticing just how she seemed to be everything he was missing in life. How had he not seen this before? Making a growl of approval in his throat, he patted her behind before moving along to reach for the bedroom door as he kept moving. He wanted to listen for Grace, to be sure that she wasn't outside the room looking for him.

Stepping out into the high ceiling foyer where the stairwell rose to the upstairs level, he craned his neck to see the first doorway at the top of the stairs. Grace's bedroom door was still shut. Along the seam of the door, he could see light spilling through. Still safe.

"Would you like to continue our prior conversation? Before we became... entwined on other pressing matters?" Glancing back to Emma, he waited for her to join him so they could return to the den. He could really go for that tea now, but she had said she didn't have time. Time enough for a good romp in the bed, he thought, but they really did need to work out their frustrations, to get to know each other again and he couldn't regret the detour into the bedroom.

Speaking in nearly a whisper he added, "What the hell's going on with the Queen that you need my help on? Two Reginas is bad enough. What can I do?"


	3. Chapter 3

Emma

Damn, I really need to be careful with using my magic, Emma thought. Contrary to the original Emma, who always tried not to use magic, she had embraced her powers, and used them as often as she could.  
But Jefferson did not seem to be suspicious about her using so much magic, but seemed to like it.  
Like Emma would do when she felt caught, she looked down, and stroke a strain of her hair behind her ear.  
“I guess, I’m getting used to it,” she tried to give him an explanation so he wouldn’t get suspicious. “At some point I realized the magic is a part of me, and that I shouldn’t try to pretend it isn’t there, but use it for good.”

Jeff used the moment to put his arms around her waist, kiss her cheek, and pat her behind before he headed towards the door.  
Emma sighed, again it was about his daughter. She had to do something about that.  
Well, she had promised to keep Grace safe, hadn’t she? Perhaps it was time to actually send her to safety.

Jeff had just left the room, and Emma went after him. At the staircase leading to the upper floor he paused a moment and checked for Grace’s room.  
Obviously everything was fine, and he returned to their previous topic - the reason Emma showed up at all at his doorstep.  
She followed him back to the den, and while he finally offered his help on his own free will, Emma took a seat on the couch, and tried to look worried.

“The problem is, that we can’t simply destroy the Evil Queen.” Emma decided to come straight to the point. “We can’t lock her up either, as she has still her magic, and… well, you know she was taught by the Dark One. She would get out sooner or later. So, our only option is to reunite her with Regina.”  
Emma rubbed her fingers to lend some weight to her worried expression. She needed him to believe he was her only chance to solve this problem.

“So, I… need you to use your ability to cross realms, and help me get an item from Camelot that can reunite Regina with her evil half.”  
Emma watched his face, knowing her request would probably be denied by him. He would never leave Grace, and he also would never take her with them.  
Time to act.

“I promise Grace will be safe while we’re gone,” Emma added immediately to dissipate his doubts. She stood up, and stepped to Jeff, wrapping her hands around his neck, and stroking through his hair.  
“I promised you earlier I’d keep her safe, and I still mean it.”

She gave him a long kiss on his cheek. To give him some time to think about it, and to do some magic, Emma said “I have to use the bathroom. Please think about it, will you?”  
Before Jeff could say anything, Emma left him alone, heading to the guest room where she knew a washroom was located.

She looked down at her hand. A single hair from Jeff laid in there that she had just plucked from his head without him noticing. All she needed now was a hair from Grace, and Emma hoped she would find one in the washroom. Surely the kid would have used it at some time.

Emma was lucky. There was a pair of hair clasps lying on a sideboard, and one of it contained a long, blonde hair. Emma smiled, and picked the hair from the clasp.  
“Yes, that’ll work,” she said. She put both hairs on her hand, and circled her hand over them. The two hairs wrapped around each other, and Emma let them flow into the mirror that was hanging in the washroom. It glowed red before it vanished, and Emma smiled.

She had just sent Grace into a mirror world, safely “stored” into a crystal, asleep and not aware of anything. Since she had binded the hair of father and daughter together, Jefferson wouldn’t be able to get Grace back with his hat.

He’d had to trade place with his daughter, so Emma had made sure they would be seperated for all time - unless Jeff would do as he was told. A little assurance, just in case.  
Completely satisfied with her plan and herself, she headed back to the den.

“I sent your daughter to a place where she is safe, as I promised. Now we can go and defeat the Evil Queen.”  
The time for playing her alter ega was over, and Emma didn’t even try anymore sounding or acting like her. However, she wouldn’t tell Jeff the truth, until he found out by himself.  
Emma smiled at him.

Jefferson

"That it is!" Jefferson whole-heartedly agreed that the magic was part of her. Embracing it was what he'd wanted her to do when they'd first met, but after the apology, he realized she also grew up in a land without magic and the use of it was strange to her. She wasn't really like the rest of the townsfolk from the Enchanted Forest. It was always going to be hard for her to use it freely. But apparently he'd been wrong because she just had and was now embracing her magic. 

Once they had strolled into the den, Emma sat at the white sofa and Jefferson listened intently to her plan. Going to Camelot though? He shook his head as he absorbed this information. Camelot? He wanted to speak out against such a plan. He didn't want to portal jump unless it was to stay away. He'd have to leave Grace with someone, someone he wouldn't trust while the Evil Queen was on the loose. "If she even knew I was helping you, she'd go after Grace. Safe or not." He was starting to shake his head, but Emma stepped up to him, her arms around his neck, hands in his hair. If she thought she could sweet talk him into abandoning Grace while he was in another realm, she could think again. This was going to be more difficult than he'd thought. 

Luckily for him, Emma needed the washroom, and it gave Jefferson a moment to think. He didn't answer her question on if he would think about it. That was obviously going to happen. He was thinking furiously. His eyes downcast for only a moment before they snapped back up and towards the closet with the hatbox. Shit! The door was ajar. He jogged over to it, peeked in and saw the hatbox still contained within, and quietly pushed the door completely shut. He'd have to lie about it. There was no other option. He couldn't go to Camelot. If he went, Grace would go, and they wouldn't come back. Emma would insist on going, he was sure, and then he'd have a hell of a time convincing her not to return to Storybrooke. She'd never listen!

He was on the verge of heading towards the kitchen. He really wanted that tea. It would calm his nerves, but Emma returned then. And her words sent a streak of horror through him.

"You... what? Sent her somewhere?" He only blinked blankly at Emma for a moment. His stomach had already been tying into knots at the prospect of leaving her, but something about Emma's words, much more carefree than she'd been speaking to him before, were making him question her wording. He closed the distance between them, looming over her with his height, his eyes intense as he stared at her with a mix of a demand and a plea not to say she literally sent her somewhere. "Where exactly did you send her?" Without even thinking of it, his hands crept up her jacket to rest on her shoulders. He wanted to trust Emma. He did of course. But maybe he was just misunderstanding what she meant. He hoped.

Emma

Maybe she could maintain the charade a bit longer, not having to blackmail Jefferson.  
Emma could see the disbelief and shock in his eyes, when he desperately hoped he misunderstood her.

When he placed his hands onto her shoulders, she gently laid a hand over his.  
“I promised I’d keep her safe, and trust me - nobody, not even the Evil Queen will ever find her unless she is told where to be found.”  
Emma beamed at him, pressing his hand gently in a gesture of comfort.  
“You need to trust me. I kept my promise, now I need your help. Please. We have to stop the Evil Queen before she kills everyone.”

Maybe a bit too much Emma again, but who cares, Emma thought, and looked at Jefferson.

Jefferson

"I don't give a damn if she kills everyone!" Jefferson growled leaning in near Emma's face. His fingers adding pressure to her shoulders should be a warning. 

He hadn't meant to imply he didn't trust Emma not to keep Grace safe, but his heart was now racing and he was panicking in realizing how 'no one will ever find her' sounded like 'not even you will find her.' Emma had carefully evaded answering his question on exactly where Grace was. Scenarios of Grace crying out somewhere that he didn't know of played in his mind. "Where is she?" he asked again through bared teeth. Another tight squeeze to her shoulders before the intense glare he wore melted slightly with a more sympathetic expression. "Please, Emma. You have to realize how this sounds to me. After how long I've been separated from her. Thirty years..." His eyes implored her to empathize with him.

Everything he'd been concerned about, all the warning signals were full on bothering him now as he looked at her. Thinking it was just that she'd become more confident in her use of magic, but she had used it to send away his child (and she knew the lengths he would go to for her), this was a wholly different attitude of Emma's. This was something the Evil Queen would have done. Was he panicking too much or was his gut feeling and all the signs he had seen wrong? However, when had he ever been that wrong? 

Slowly, he pulled his hands from her shoulders. But he didn't step back. His voice had gone quieter in concern. "You're different now. What happened to you?"

Emma

Faking consternation about his words he wouldn’t care about people dying, she decided to push it a bit.  
In full Emma manner she looked at him horrified, the corner of her mouths pointing downwards, her lips pressed firmly together for a moment.

“How can you say that?” Emma tried so sound as if she would break out in tears every second, but inwardly she almost had to laugh.  
She knew he wouldn’t drop the topic about Grace until he knew where she was.  
Well, well, not fun at all when it’s about this little brat, Emma thought in annoyance, and felt his fingers squeezing her shoulder.

Oh, he gets emotional. His begging for his daughter was the only thing that really annoyed her. Why was he so into her, he should have given up on her a long time now, everyone did. Her own parents had abandoned her, pretended to give her “her best chance”.  
She was better off without them, and same applied for Grace.  
Much to her indignation he clinged to the brat. Emma sighed. If she wanted him to move his ass, she might have to show him where she was.

In the meantime Jefferson had let go of her, claiming she would be different by now and asked what happened to her.  
Emma was tempted to reveal her little secret, but it was too much fun to play him a bit longer. She was also curious if he would find out by himself. Well, maybe she would spread some hints, but keep the game interesting.  
“I’m desperate, Jefferson. I can’t let the Evil Queen run around in Storybrooke and kill everyone.”

Emma decided to spread the first crumb of bread.  
With an almost smugly smile (that the other Emma would have never could manage) Emma held out her hand and conjured a larger hand mirror with a handle. The mirror magic was something the Evil Queen had taught her in a speedy trial so they could communicate. Quite simple, and resourceful.  
She used it now for Jefferson.

“I cared as best as possible for her,” she started to explain, while she handed him the mirror. For now he would only see his own image.  
“She doesn’t feel hunger, thirst, or loneliness. On the contrary - she lives her most beautiful dream.”  
Saying that Emma mage a gesture with her hand over the mirror, and the reflection changed. It was now showing a world full of shimmering crystals and mirrors. His daughter was seen as a vague figure, concealed in a large crystal.  
“See? She’s completely safe, just as I promised.”

Jefferson

Shit. Perhaps he shouldn't have suspected he was good enough for the Savior. This was part of why he had let her go before. She needed someone that would bend to her needs. Be the person she needed. 

Shaking his head, he realized he'd been right before. Even if he loved her, hadn't stopped loving her, Emma needed better than he could provide. 

How could he say that? How could he just stand aside while the Evil Queen killed them all as Emma suggested would happen? Putting up his own wall of defense, he leaned in towards her face so that she would feel his breath along her cheek. "I. Don't. Care. About. Them. No one in this town cared about me, checked on me. I needed help. Did anyone help me? Believe me? No. Only you gave me a chance after the curse broke." He poked a finger into her chest. "Only you." 

She was desperate? Well, so was he. Despite how worried he was and the anger he displayed to mask the worry, he watched as a mirror was produced. Evil Queen. This was one of her tricks. Was it possible he was dealing with the Queen disguised as Emma? A shiver ran across his skin as his eyes widened. He could see the worry reflected from his own eyes in the mirror she handed him. 

Holding his breath, he could even hear his heart thumping madly. 

The image shifted to reveal a landscape beyond full of glass, crystals and mirrors. And there was Grace. Concealed in crystal. 

His jaw slackened slightly as he stared in horror. He couldn't breathe. This wasn't what he'd expected when she said she'd keep her safe. Almost dropping the mirror, his fingers clenched around the handle as he looked up at this... Emma. Whoever she was. 

His free hand shot out and grabbed her slender throat, no concern that this magical being would lash out at him in reaction. His facial expression twisted in a mix of upset and anger biting back the emotion raging in his chest. "Who are you? You're not Emma." 

There was no doubt in his mind now that he was dealing with someone else entirely. He couldn't doubt what he'd felt only minutes before, but everything wrong he'd suspected about 'Emma' was raging and shouting at him to point out. Meanwhile, he felt his daughter was potentially dead and he'd failed her again.

 

Emma

His anger was understandable, but Emma didn’t care. When he leaned in and breathed the words of rejection onto her neck, she was unimpressed. But maybe she should fake a bit fear?  
Oh, this game was getting interesting. He still excluded her in his anger, as she had been the only one who had cared about him after the curse was broken.  
She! Not Emma, that was.

Emma decided to wait how he would react to Grace’s new home, and it turned out better than she had hoped. He almost dropped the mirror, and the expression on his face gave his emotions away. He was desperate, upset, and shocked. And very angry.

He took her crumb of bread by suspecting that she wasn’t who she pretended to be.  
For a moment Emma thought about revealing who she was, but the temptation of playing him a bit longer, playing with his feelings and made him dance to her tune was too strong.  
To her amusement, Jeff grabbed for her throat and started to strangle her.

Her expression became even more desperate, and she put in some disbelief and shock. Of course it was easy to get out of his grip, but Emma wanted to test how far he would go.  
Breathing became difficult, and that was exactly what Emma needed.

Her hands grabbed his wrist, trying to loosen his grip. She even managed to squeeze some tears out of her eyes.

“Jeff… what are you doing?” Emma accompanied her words with some attempts to gasp for breath to make it more dramatic.  
“How-how can you say that? There are people out there, living beings who need my help!” She coughed, her eyes widened in fear.

“How can you be so cold hearted and demand that I let them die? And how can you think I would be someone else? I’m EMMA! The savior!” Her voice was trembling, and her chin wobbled slightly. If he didn’t want to kill he should let go by now.  
She pretended her voice was failing. “As for... your daughter... it was... the only way to... protect her. Please Jeff… I only... did what you... asked me. I... can’t... believe you’re…. doing... this... to...”  
She didn’t speak the last word, but closed her eyes, and went limp. In an attempt to make things more convincing she even kept her breath.

Jefferson

She's faking. Playing you. Don't be an idiot!

All of her words and struggling for breath was almost amusing. She could have stopped him. Had she been Emma, she would have fought back. He knew her!

But when she lost consciousness, slipping to the floor, he released her throat and wrapped an arm around her so she wouldn't strike the floor. Dragging her towards the sofa, he set her down on it and the mirror on the table.

She wasn't breathing. Waiting a beat, his brow furrowed.

Fuck... Glancing back in the mirror, the image of Grace sleeping in crystal only lasted another second before it faded. He was staring at himself again.

Eyes snapped back to Emma. Still.

His hands shot into his scalp mussing up his thick hair. Pacing. What if he'd killed her? What if she hadn't fought back because she had trusted him and he should have trusted her? That's what people that love each other were meant to do...

No, no. He was right! This was someone posing as Emma! He should tie her up and wait with a pair of scissors, get her to talk!

His eyes went to the closet again. He could go after Grace... take the body... two in, two out.

But Jefferson was not a killer. Conman, yes. Willing to go very far for goals? Absolutely. Assisting others to murder? He had before and wasn't proud of it, but he had done it. But he always drew the line at himself actually doing it. Poor excuse for a conscience, but he did have one. For Grace. He'd even had a conscience for Priscilla. Had stopped hat portalling for her.

Pulling hard at his hair, he moaned. He was going to have to give in. She was becoming pale, wasn't she? Or was that his imagination?

You killed the Savior! Way to go! You helped the Evil Queen kill her at last! And you'll never find Grace now with the only person that knows where she is dead at your hand! His sarcastic realization was bringing Jefferson's panic to action.

Kneeling by the sofa, his hands clutched her face, patted her cheek. "Emma! Wake up!" His fingers moved to her pulse point in her neck, but he could find nothing. "Wake up!" he snapped, shaking her lightly.

That CPR class he took years ago at the school was going to save her and him now. He knew what to do. Diving into action, he tilted her head back, plugged her nose, and met her lips intent on blowing oxygen into her lungs. 

Emma 

He caught her, when she went limp, but he was also willing to risk killing her for his daughter.  
Emma was conscious, but held her eyes closed, and kept her breath as long as possible.  
It worked.  
He had dragged her to the couch, and although Emma couldn’t see how he was reacting, she heard it.

He was getting agitated, and didn’t know what to do. Emma had to use all her willpower to suppress a big grin.  
Well Jeff, not a riddle you can solve that easily, eh? Am I Emma or not... she thought, imagining him pacing around or rub his neck, hair, or whatever in desperation.

It didn’t take long until he tried to wake her up again.  
Emma used a simple spell so he wouldn’t feel any pulse in case he was searching for a proof if she was alive or dead; and he did.  
It was enough to scare him obviously. He must think he had killed her!  
Emma laughed inwardly.

A moment later he prepared her for rescue breathing. When she felt his lips on hers, ready to blow some oxygen into her lungs, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him closer and kissed him. He was probably going to freak out, but he was so good to play. 

Jefferson

She moved. Arms wrapped around his neck and his eyes opened wide. She was kissing him. Pulling back, his eyes were full of accusation as he rocked back on his heels, too stunned to stand and back away. "What is this?" He snapped. "Think this is a joke?"

Well, he certainly didn't. His heart was still racing as was his mind. Who was this? Some sort of tricky villain had woven her way into him. Even seeing amusement on her face, clearly not dead, was a mix of relief and anger. If this wasn't Emma, why was she borrowing her face?

Running a hand over his weary face, he sighed. Keeping his tone calm around threats as he'd learned to do long ago with his clients, he tried again though he felt anything but calm. "Cut the crap. I know you aren't Emma. Who are you?"

Emma 

Emma rolled over and got into sitting position once Jeff backed away from her, snapping at her.  
Giving him an angry look, she stood up, and stumbled, using the opportunity to get a grip on his arms to steady herself.

“You think this is a joke?” She retorted. “You almost _strangled_ me! Yes, maybe I could have stopped you with magic, but I could have hurt you! Contrary to you; with kissing you I just wanted to show you that I’m not mad at you, and that I forgive you.”

Obviously Jefferson didn’t buy it, as he was still asking who she was. Well, the funny thing was, she really _was_ Emma at some point.  
She let go of him, and was amused she didn’t even have to lie when she answered “Stop this. Who do you think I am? I AM EMMA! Do I look like someone else?”  
She started to pace around.  
“A lot happened since we… parted. I’m not the same I have been four years ago, and neither are you. So who the fuck are you to think you are in the position to question me! I have seen things, I have _lost_ friends, I have _witnessed_ things. Things I didn’t even believe in when we first met.”

Oh, Emma was in top form when she gave rise to doubts, only trying to wear him down, make him believe he was wrong about her, making him feel _sorry_ he ever doubted her. Only then… she might let him in.

“Hook changed me, this fucking bastard. He made me weak, he played me! When I came to you seeking help, I thought you were the _only_ one to trust! But worse than Hook you tried to kill me! You question who I am, despite I tried to show you that you’re the one I still trust without doubt. I protected your daughter in the most secure way I could even think of, and you - you …” 

Emma feigned tearing up, and turned away from him, her shoulders shaking.

Jefferson

Jefferson let her grab him by the shirt, listened with a blank expression as she explained herself. He didn't resist, he needed to know. When she pushed off of him and started pacing, he righted his clothes from where she'd bunched the material, but remained by the sofa.

He could empathize with how she says she's changed. Things he knew she didn't believe before, he'd tried to convince her of and failed. Sure, she lost friends. Things that would make a person change. Loss had certainly changed him.

Hook making her weak, however? Not what he'd expected. The conversation seemed to be going in a different direction, especially when she said Jefferson had tried to kill her. He shook his head slightly. He had not tried to kill her, just force her to admit she wasn't Emma, release Grace, fight back against him. Something. Anything but faint. And that had been a farce anyway.

His eyes dropped as she turned away, crying. Since when had Emma become a crier? Since Hook 'made her weak?'

She almost had him. Up until she mentioned his daughter. Recalling the sight of her frozen in crystal and his expression stiffened, as blankly as he could manage. His tone was dry, calm, and serious when he came to a decision, stepping up behind her, his jaw against the side of her head. "You're right. I shouldn't doubt you." Whoever you are. He'd had to use his own charms to fool others into giving up treasures in the past, anything he had to do to complete the job for clients like Rumpelstiltskin. How was this any different? "Forgive me?"

His fingers carefully pushed her hair to the side to expose her neck where his fingers had squeezed. Leaning in, he pressed his lips there as his hand met her hip to smooth over the material of her tight leggings. "I'm sorry. I just had to be sure." Another kiss and his hand was roaming forward to envelop her against his body. "With what's going on in town and the Evil Queen on the loose, I can't be too careful on who to trust."

He moved the next kiss to her cheek, staying as close as possible as he spoke. "And if you say Grace is in the safest place possible, I trust that when this is over, you'll bring her back. I don't want her to remember being there."

Emma

She had overplayed it. She knew it in the moment Jeff told her he knew his daughter was in the safest place and was willing to give in.  
In the first moment Emma thought she had him when he said he shouldn’t doubt her, even saying he couldn’t be too careful whom to trust; but not giving up on Grace so quickly.

Jefferson wasn’t trusting her, and her only chance to continue this game and win was being more like the other Emma again.  
She sighed. She knew she was better than Emma, but she had to win his trust again. She should have fought back, not pretend to faint. A mistake that could ruin everything. She would never do such mistakes again.

While Emma was trying to find a way to fix her mess, she remembered Jeff had also apologized earlier when he was kissing her neck. She had been distracted by his words about Grace, and realized she had messed things up.  
She quickly tried to remember what he had said. She remembered him talking about the Evil Queen (the part where he said he couldn’t be too careful whom to trust), he shouldn’t have doubted her, and… yes, he had asked if she’d forgive him.

Maybe that was the chance to start setting things right again. He was still close to her, had kissed her cheek, his hands still laying on her hips.

Emma turned slowly, and faced him.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I don’t know what has gotten into me. You were right thinking of me not being Emma, I know I acted… strange. But the truth is, I really am Emma, but not the Emma you knew anymore. Too much has happened, and I have changed.” She looked past him, like she would deal with some painful memories before she looked into his eyes again.

“The Evil Queen threatened to kill me, and… she almost succeeded. That’s why I so desperately need your help. I need to go to Camelot, and get this item. I knew you wouldn’t even think about helping me unless Grace is safe, that’s why I sent her away without asking. I also knew you would never have allowed me to do this, so I just did it. But... I promise she won’t remember that she was away, and I'll bring her back as soon as we’re back. Unless you want her to accompany us.”

It was a risk to offer bringing her back now, but Emma had to give him something that would convince him.  
She stroked his cheek gently, and leaned her head against his shoulder, seeking comfort.  
“If the Evil Queen manages to kill me, there will be no savior anymore. And I don’t want to die yet.”

Jefferson

When Emma turned in his arms, his hands found their way to cupping her bottom. He nodded at her explanation, taking everything in, keeping a sympathetic expression on his face. That is until she mentioned Grace again. Damn right, he wouldn't have allowed Grace to be sent away without his knowledge of where, nor frozen in crystal. The horror of the idea!

How could someone - the savior, no less - have changed that much to think that was ever the right decision? Would she have done the same to Henry?

He glanced away, his brows furrowing, when she asked if he wanted her to accompany them. What was worse? Leaving her frozen in crystal or having his daughter accompany a woman who had frozen her? Especially with how dangerous everything was right now.

Her hand on his cheek brought his eyes back to hers. Taking a deep breath, he nodded at what her death would mean and it wasn't good. "That won't happen. I'll help you get the amulet. The Queen won't hurt you." One hand raised from its grip on her behind to cup her cheek. "Together, we can do this."

Smiling, a particular gleam lit his eyes as his somber tone became instantly more upbeat. "Now. Since we'll be going to Camelot, we need to dress the part so we aren't suspected as being outsiders. Outsiders get caught." I have a long coat packed away upstairs just for certain occasions like this. If I were to ever leave again, of course. It's been a long time." He rolled his wrist in explanation. Shaking his head, as he backed out of her embrace, Jefferson heading towards the stairs. Pointing at her clothes, he added while walking backwards, "Think of what your parents wore in the Enchanted Forest. That'll suit the realm fine."

Once he reached the stairwell, he grinned fully. "Be right back."


	4. Chapter 4

Emma  
He didn’t insist on bringing Grace back. Emma was only partly relieved about it, as she could sense he was still skeptical. Well, probably she would as well if she was in his situation. It would take more time to convince him he could trust her again, time Emma hadn’t planned on to invest. Suddenly she remembered something she had almost forgotten during all the false play; when she had appeared on his doorstep, and things were going well, they had shared a true love’s kiss. Despite what had happened the last minutes, deep inside him Jefferson cared about her, and loved her. True love wouldn’t stop only because he was suspicious about her. 

Emma felt better after she remembered it. Things weren’t completely hopeless, and aside from that he had agreed to go to Camelot with her.

He was already talking about that they’d need to dress differently. Something Emma had almost forgotten as well. Telling her about having his right outfit upstairs, he broke the embrace, and headed for the stairs. Before he vanished he told her to remember her parents outfit in the Enchanted Forest.

_What the fuck!_ Emma could remember only too well what her parents and she had worn in the Enchanted Forest. Mumbling to herself, as Jefferson was already climbing the stairs, she wasn’t very keen about the need to change her comforting pants against a dress that would probably prevent her from running or even walking properly.

She looked down at her prefered outfit, then sighed deeply and made a waving gesture with both hands. Smoke engulfed her, and in the next moment she was wearing a light grey, simple long dress. An embroidered, red corsage was wrapped around her upper body, bringing in some color, and her appearance was rounded by a girdle which ends were dangling down, a cape and fitting boots.

Emma conjured a large mirror to check on her appearance. _Not that bad,_ she thought, but she felt still uncomfortable. 

Now all she had to do was wait for Jefferson. She was just about to let the mirror disappear again, but hesitated. Should she... 

Jefferson

Jefferson jogged up the stairs. Once at the top landing, he wanted to push open Grace's door to verify that she wasn't in there, but the heartbreak at the sight of her empty room was more than he could bear if he was going to save face in front of Emma. So, keeping his eyes on his own door, he headed for his room without averting his eyes.

His closet had a vast array of clothing, most of which was considered too dapper for even Storybrooke, but Regina had set him up with money. It was the promise she had made to Jefferson in the Enchanted Forest that if he took her to Wonderland, Grace would want for nothing. But in coming to Storybrooke, Jefferson had everything to provide for her, yet didn't have her to share it with. None of the riches mattered to him anymore if it was only for himself. He wasn't so selfish anymore as he had been as a younger man. All of these expensive clothes that made him stand out merely gave others the impression that he was just as elusive a recluse as the mansion at the edge of town would lead people to think. More reasons people should keep away from the only other person in Storybrooke that really knew what was going on.

He selected a few items that were closest to what he would have worn in Camelot, the fanciest he possessed since they were to enter the king's palace. His hand paused over some lengths of fabric tucked in corners. Emma could use any of this to magic herself a dress if she was struggling to decide. He couldn't say he'd ever seen Emma in a dress after all.

Pulling out his phone, he decided to send a text to Emma to save time. _'Come up to my bedroom. I've got something you might want.'_ He hit send and set the phone down on the shelf so he could change clothes.

Emma

The mirror was too tempting not to use it for something else than checking her reflection, and Emma used it to spy on Jefferson. Since she had needed some time to think about how her dress should look like, she didn’t see Jeff walking into his room; he was already there. 

Emma could only see his back, he was looking down at something in his hand as it seemed, then he put it down on the shelf near him.

_Shit,_ Emma thought when she realized it was a phone. He had obviously used it to send someone a message. Whom would the hatter send a message? He had told her no one had cared for him all the time after the curse had broken. The only persons he had probably still in his phone list was his daughter, but she was clearly absent. Who else? Probably Gold. Emma knew he had a past with the imp, did some jobs for him. But why should he send Gold a message? Not likely.   
Then it hit her - she was in his contact list as well. He didn’t trust her, thinking she was someone else, so what would be easier than sending her a message to see if she really was Emma. Of course she didn’t think about taking Emma’s phone.

_Clever boy,_ she had to admit. She needed to do something about it, but in the same moment she was about to cast a spell, she could see the phone moving. It was set to vibrate.

“Fuck!” Emma said, knowing it was the other Emma who had answered.

\-----

The real Emma was just having a little snack with Killian in the Sheriff’s station. Killian had brought some onion rings and grilled cheese for Emma, and a burger for himself.  
They were still discussing the events that had happened some hours ago when Emma’s phone beeped thrice, notifying her about an incoming message.

The mouth full of melted cheese, Emma grabbed her phone and hit the home button. She reckoned it was a message from Regina regarding their “Doppelgänger”, so she frowned when she saw the sender.

Killian saw her puzzled look. “What is it, love?” Emma hit another button, and read the message Jefferson had sent.

“What the hell?” She exclaimed, ignoring Killian for a moment. Instead she started to type a message back. With a snort of disbelief she hit the send button, and said “Just a mad hatter who seemed to have forgotten that our relationship has ended several years ago.” She shoved the phone into her pocket again. “You were saying?” She asked her lover, and tried not to think about the strange message anymore.

Jefferson

Jefferson had just gotten his dark purple button up shirt off when his phone buzzed in response. Picking it up from the shelf, he glanced at the screen for the reply from Emma. 'I don't have time for your games, Jeff.'

He frowned for a moment at the screen. Well. That was certainly off putting. What games? Then, he realized what he'd texted her sounded too sexual for the trip they had planned, but hell. Why not poke her a little about it? He was feeling some pre-jump anticipation nerves and perhaps a little excitement over it. It had been decades since he'd jumped a portal.

Smirking at the screen, he unlocked it, and typed in a quick response. 'That's not what you said ten minutes ago when your legs were around my waist. Come. You won't regret it.' He added a the symbols for wink face and a kiss emoticon for the hell of it and chuckled at himself as he set the phone down again.

Reaching for the shirt he intended to wear to Camelot, he pulled it off the hanger. He'd never worn it before, but had made it years ago out of boredom.

Emma

She was staring at Jeff in the mirror, her eyes narrowed when he picked up the phone and read the message the other Emma had sent. To her surprise he smirked before he typed something back. Whatever it was, the conversation had started, and Emma felt the urgent need to do something. Perhaps she should go upstairs and simply join him?

In the mirror she could see Jeff reaching for another shirt. He would change shirts in a few moments, and that meant… she had a chance to distract him from the phone, and maybe find out what her alter Ego had written (provided Emma was right about him messaging her). With a gesture of her hand the mirror vanished, then she hurried upstairs to surprise him. Hopefully getting out of her clothes again before they would go to Camelot.

-

Emma was listening to Killian while her mouth was filled with another onion ring when her phone beeped again.  
She rolled her eyes, tried to swallow the rest of the onion ring so she could apologize to Killian, and see if it was again Jefferson or Regina this time.

“Hang on a second, perhaps it’s Regina this time.” The display went on, and Emma sighed. “It’s Jeff again,” she explained to Killian, and put the other half of the onion ring in her mouth before she skimmed the text message. Her eyes widened, and she almost choked on her onion ring.

“Love, are you alright?” Killian asked.

Emma managed to swallow her piece of food, and her voice sounded a bit hoarse. “What the fuck is he talking about?” Emma’s fingers almost flew over the touchscreen when she hammered down an answer. After she hit the send button, she shoved the rest of her onion rings away, and stood up.

“Something’s not right with Jeff. He's hallucinating. I have to check on him, he’s probably gone mad - for real this time. Perhaps Grace is in danger. Are you coming too?”

Killian only nodded, and followed Emma to her bug. She would let him in what was going on when she was ready.

Jefferson

The phone buzzed again almost immediately. Well, wasn't she eager? Picking up the phone again, he read: 'This better be good.' And his expression fell. "No fun at all," he muttered tossing the phone back to the shelf with less enthusiasm and no responding text. But that did mean she was coming up to the room at least. There was a distinct sound of steps on the stairs reaching his ears as well.

Now with free hands, he slipped the Camelot shirt on, but left the front unfastened. There was a waistcoat and scarf that went with the shirt somewhere.

Emma

Deciding to simply walk into the room without knocking or other warning, Emma opened the door, and stopped in the doorframe.  
Jeff was wearing the new shirt, but she could perfectly see his naked chest as he hadn’t closed it yet.  
“Well, it seems I showed up right in time.”  
Emma didn’t find it necessary to close the door as they were alone. She walked towards him, until she was near enough to touch his bare skin. Her fingers crawled over his chest, sending clear signals they wanted more, and started to shove off the shirt from his shoulders.

“I think my corset is a bit too tight,” she whispered, hoping he would free her not only from that piece but everything else as well.

-

Emma’s bug came to an abrupt halt right in front of Jefferson’s house. The savior got out of the car, and scanned the building. There was light in the second floor; Grace’s room, and Jefferson’s bedroom if she remembered correctly.  
Assuming Killian would follow her, Emma walked to the entrance, and tried to open the door.  
“The door isn’t locked, come on.”

Since Jeff had acted so strange, Emma also reminded Killian to use caution before she opened the door carefully. Checking the lobby inside, she looked up, and climbed the stairs.  
The door from Grace’s room was closed, but in Jeff’s bedroom she could her some… moaning.

She didn’t know if Jefferson was hurt or what was going on, so Emma entered the room, and stopped dead in her tracks.  
“What the hell…?” she blurted out, her eyes widened when she saw herself naked clinging to Jefferson who was naked as well in the closet..

Jefferson

Looking towards the closet door, he saw Emma round the corner and enter. The dress she'd chosen for herself, complete with vibrant corset and train drew his eyes along her figure. His eyes widened, his jaw sagged, and he felt his heart lurch. What her hand was doing along his skin made it pick up the pace quickly.

"Is it too tight? It does... look... like it fits perfectly." His fingers trailed along the top of the bodice eyeing not only the expert craftsmanship of the stitching, but her own attributes. "You're not going to fit into Camelot. No. You're far more attractive than any of the ladies of the court."

She was already shoving his shirt off of his shoulders, thankfully she didn't rip this one since he'd need it, and already he was forgetting how he was supposed to distrust her! Get to Grace! But what her hands were doing, and the tingling feeling along his skin reminded him of just what this woman was capable of stirring within him, a feeling long too starved for attention, and all he could think of was her.

~

Jefferson let out a loud moan. He couldn't believe what she was doing. What they were doing again even! He wasn't 20 any longer, but he still knew how to have fun. "Ow!" he yelled, but turned her around and pushed her against the shelf knocking a few hats to the floor in the process. He grabbed one before it fell, a special top hat, not the portal, but it was one of his favorites and set it upon his head. "Do that again," he growled just a moment before he heard a voice not coming from the woman in his arms.

He looked in shock at a mirror image (except fully clothed and very surprised looking) of Emma and a very unwelcome pirate. Very carefully, he pulled the hat from his head and lowered it to his waist as he stood apart from... his Emma.

~

Killian was by far more than speechless. He had known the Dark Swan was in Storybrooke, but to be caught cavorting with the Mad Hatter on the eve of a battle? "Bloody hell," he muttered, his lip raised in disgust. As a pirate, he'd seen and done things most would pale at, but the sight he'd witnessed, and with a look alike of his love, he could merely shake his head. He also knew bloody well Swan had been with the hatter, but he did not want a vision of what they had looked like together!

He bent and lifted the voluminous outer skirt from the floor and held it out on the hook towards the Dark Swan as he averted his eyes towards his Swan. It felt wrong to look at the nude version. She wasn't his after all. "I suppose this explains the lewd talking phone letters..."

~

Jefferson's expression drew into a frown, narrowing his eyes at the pirate. "They're called texts. Idiot." But he made no other attempt to move at the moment. He wasn't entirely sure where his trousers had been thrown

Emma

Despite the fact that he still didn’t trust her to be Emma, he undressed her, giving her compliments, and _wanted_ her.   
He was putty in her hands. Her distraction worked, and she was about to get another very delightful moment with him. 

Sex in the closet was a bit more fun than in a bed; unpredictable things could happen here - and a lot of stuff was lying around and in her range. Emma found some items she used on Jeff, what resulted in a scream of pleasure from him, and he wiped off some hats when he shoved her against the shelf.  
Emma giggled when he set a hat upon his head.   
“A real gentleman,” she teased, and was just about to fulfill Jeff’s request to do it again, when she heard _her_ voice coming from the open door.

Emma froze, and turned her head. _Oh great,_ she just thought, but smiled. She didn’t feel false shame as Killian had already seen her naked (likewise, she added), as well as Jeff. Obviously. Although it was annoying that Emma and Killian had shown up (probably Jeff had written something that alarmed Emma), but Emma felt relaxed. She knew Emma couldn’t kill her without killing herself. And she knew she had good leverage, so she had the upper hand here.

“Well, well, if that isn’t blondy with her pirate doll, how… unpleasant. If you wouldn’t mind and leave again - we’re busy.”  
She turned to Jeff again, simply ignoring the unwelcome visitors, but laughed when Jeff corrected the pirate about text messages.   
“Well said,” she only commented.

\----

Emma was staring at her naked self.   
_That is how I look from behind?_ she thought in the first moment when the other Emma moved.  
She heard Killian’s usual sentence when he was startled or something didn’t go well, and then realized both men were staring at her naked body. Her naked body!

To her annoyance Emma didn’t even think of at least covering her more _private_ parts of her body; on the contrary, she intended to _present_ them.  
She was just about to say something when Jeff insulted Killian. For something completely ridiculous. And Emma wanted them to leave as she was busy. 

Emma had enough. “Hey! That’s my body as well! Get your clothes back on!” Her eyes slid to Jeff, and she gave him a sharp look. “That goes for you as well!” Emma paused for a moment to take a deep breath. “What the hell has gotten into you to mate with my evil half?” She then snapped at Jefferson. She glanced at Killian, seeing his eyes were still on her.  
“Hey! Where do you think you’re staring at?” 

Jefferson

Jefferson sighed dramatically when the Savior told him to get dressed. Enough of this 'hiding his shame.' He wasn't actually shamed. And apparently his Emma wasn't either. Raising the top hat from concealing himself, he set it back on his head and leaned against one hand propped up on the wall. Maybe this would get them to leave if he acted like he didn't care. "It's not like we haven't done any of this before, Emma," he deadpanned. "What difference does it make if I do it with your other half?" 

But wait, did she say 'Evil' half? He'd so easily not heard the evil part because she wasn't exactly Regina, now was she? 

He shifted a considering glance toward the supposed Evil half while still leaning casually against the wall, taking a particularly slow glance down her naked body. "And I wouldn't say she's evil... Darker than you? Absolutely." He smirked thinking over what they had been engaged in just before being interrupted. He had no problem with that at all. Enjoyed it even.

But it wasn't just that. What she'd done to Grace was much worse than dark. Wasn't it? Grace was technically safe. But she was also out of his reach. He couldn't get to her without this Emma's help. He needed her help now. It wasn't just that she needed him. Fuck. He was fucked!

Jefferson knew when it came to Grace, his expression became more transparent so he set his eyes back towards the Savior and the pirate. How the hell am I going to tell her about this? If only she could still read him, sense that something was off.

~ 

Killian was so tense listening to this rubbish that he nearly exploded out of his skin to lash out at the hatter. Acting as if it was normal that he should have Emma's body. And the admittance that he had done these lewd acts with his Swan at one time. "That's enough!" he snapped and threw the skirt to the floor. The Dark Swan clearly wasn't taking it. The two of them were both gone to the darker side anyway.

But Swan caught him looking in the direction of the Dark Swan again and his eyes widened and he turned his head so that he was only half looking at Jefferson. "You're with the Dark Swan. A bloody Dark One. Did you know that when you were fucking her? She's using you, mate."

~

Jefferson retorted immediately as he dropped his hand from the wall. There were his trousers! He stepped over them and towards Killian, away from... the Dark One apparently. Shit! "Oh, I'm well aware," he smoothly lied as he grinned widely underneath the brim of the hat. "You assume that I don't already have a history with Dark Ones." He chuckled at that. He'd never fucked Rumpel, and the thought sent a chill over his skin, but at least he knew how to appease them. Clearly. "I know who she is. She needs my portal so I can retrieve something for this upcoming battle. It's one of my particular skills. And I'm going to help her get it, mate." 

He looked at the Savior now, his eyes hooded with hidden intention that he hoped she could read between the lines. He was aware the Dark Swan was also Emma now and that it was possible she might be able to as well, but maybe she would be clouded enough by his apparent loyalty to her. "And when we get back to Storybrooke, I'll have everything I need in return." His lips formed the name Grace but no sound was emitted from his throat. He could only hope that was clear enough. 

He kept a smug expression on his face as he took a step back towards the closet. His hand fitted around his Emma's bare hip in clear possession.


	5. Chapter 5

Emma

Emma looked at Jeff in astonishment. She had reckoned he would be more than surprised or freak out when the secret about “his” Emma was revealed by Killian’s Emma, or whatever, but she didn’t reckon with that. He simply said they had already done this before.   
Emma couldn’t hold back a laugh. 

It was even getting better when he expressed that he didn’t care at all if his Emma was darker. On the contrary, he seemed to prefer her being a bit... demanding.  
When Killian bursted out by suggesting she was a bloody Dark One, Emma considered for a moment to let him believe she was “a” Dark One; maybe Emma and Killian would try to find the dagger. But it was too much fun to reveal the truth. 

But for the moment Jefferson and Killian discussed _her_, and Emma felt her grin growing even wider when Jeff was actually defending her.   
Emma’s eyes switched between the three of them, and despite Jeff was talking so high of her, she did catch that there was something going on. Her superpowers told her as well, Jeff was hiding something. 

But Emma wasn’t too concerned about that, as she knew she had Grace (actually, that was probably the whole problem), and they had shared true love’s kiss.   
Maybe she should reveal that little secret as well - it would also remind Jeff that they belonged - _really belonged,_ together. 

When both men were fished for now arguing about her, Emma thought this would be a good moment to spill the news, except from the fact that the other Emma was faster.  
When she was finished as well, Emma was even more happier to reveal her secrets.

“Me? A Dark One?” She laughed loud, looking in amusement to Killian and her alter ego. Then her laughter subsided and she smirked; diabolically.  
“I’m not _a_ Dark One - I’m worse; Emma could only become such a… _dark_ Dark Swan because the Dark Site in her was so strong, no matter how hard she tried to deny it. She had to endure such anger, fear, loneliness…” Emma’s voice was dripping from false sympathy.   
“And all because her parents abandoned her. For _giving her her best chance,_ ha!”

Emma leaned against Jefferson, whose hands were still on her hips. “I am Emma’s dark side, I am the Dark Swan; but without a dagger.”  
She let her hands wander over Jeff’s hips in return, sliding to his manhood behind her back.   
“And don’t even try to convince my hatter I’d use him. Of course I use him, and he uses me. But no matter how hard you try to drive a wedge between us - we shared true love’s kiss.”

After revealing this second secret, Emma grinned, her hands still playing with Jeff’s privates.  
Giving a triumphant look at Emma and Killian she said “You really should leave now. As you can see, my true love and I are really busy.”

__

Emma’s eyes were glued at her evil half. She wanted nothing more than punch her in her face, and get rid of her. And how dared she staying naked?   
Like her alter ego Emma was listening to the boy’s arguing. 

“You don’t know what you are dealing with, Jeff,” Emma said warningly. Killian is right, she’s only using you. All a Dark One does is lie, take it from me.”  
Admitting that wasn’t easy for Emma, but Jeff had to understand that this _thing_ was anything else than _his Emma._

Her eyes met Jeff’s - and her instincts told her that something wasn’t right. Jeff lied about not caring Emma was the Dark One. Then his lips formed a word without saying it. No, not a word; a name. Grace. Something was wrong with his daughter!  
Emma knew she needed a moment in private with Jeff, and thought about how to get rid of Emma. Maybe Killian could help. But before she could think about something, things got worse.

The other Emma laughed, and Emma’s mouth dropped after she revealed she and Jeff had shared a true love’s kiss. She went pale, not exactly knowing what consequences that might had. Although she only was Emma’s dark side, she was still… Emma. And if Emma had shared a true love’s kiss with Jeff… Emma couldn’t think anymore. She loved Killian!   
But… as a matter of fact, she and Killian hadn’t shared a true love’s kiss yet.

Unsure what to think, and afraid that Killian might have had the same thought like her, she looked at him, unable to say a word. Forgotten was Grace, forgotten her plan to find a way to speak to Jeff in private. Her only concern was how Killian would react. Maybe Emma was lying, but Emma knew she wasn’t. This time she was telling the truth.

Jefferson

Killian knew the story. He’d heard it several times. The Charmings put their newborn daughter in a magical tree and sent her away in order to give her her best chance and the best chance of everyone. But in doing so, they had caused insecurities and loneliness in their child who would grow up alone. A feeling Killian could understand in Emma. Except his father hadn’t given him up for his sons’ best chance. Brennan had sold his sons into slavery for the father’s best chance. Bastard.

He noticed that look in Emma’s eyes. She was worried. Confused. The Dark Swan’s words had confused her and she’s currently warring with herself. The hatter and the darkness found true love. “How is that possible? You don’t possess the ability to love,” he said to the Dark Swan.

It was clear enough the dark half was attempting to get them to leave, even grasping at the hatter who was having his own sort of conflict. It seemed the man hadn’t expected to hear anything about true love either. It was a shock to them all.

The pirate didn’t care. His concern was Emma. “Let’s leave this place, Swan. As you can see, your… friend is not mad. Merely caught, but it seems he’s made his bed and will lie in it.” 

~

Jefferson winced as his Emma was explaining the difference between herself and what had happened to the Savior recently. The difference between a Dark One and herself. But the abandonment issue. This he understood for he’d been pushed into abandoning his own child. It was something that he and Emma had seen eye to eye on before, something they had a mutual empathy about which led to all the similarities they had between them. It was the Savior that had been abandoned, but it was also the Dark Swan. Were they the same even still? It wasn’t right to be bringing it up now when he was already angry over the situation with Grace. His eyes remained on the Savior as the Dark Swan spoke in front of him. She was otherwise occupied, however in listening. 

He was listening, too. My hatter. My true love. The words were spinning around in his head as he stared between the top of Emma’s head, the Dark Swan’s and the other Emma. Savior Emma. True love? What? What the hell was happening?! He’d fallen in love with ‘worse than a Dark One,’ as she said? How much worse exactly was she going to get? He couldn’t imagine as her fingers were reaching for his highly sensitized flesh with an audience! His hips shot back away from her behind. Too much stimuli! Too many questions! Too much! 

His fingers had been digging into Emma’s hips in reaction to her touch, but he grabbed her hand instead to still her movements. “No,” he grumbled in his throat as he pressed his jaw to the side of her head. “Stop manipulating me.”   
She had Grace though! How can he love someone who proclaims herself to be much worse? Worse than abandoning your own child? You’re just as bad, Hatter! He was already shaking his head wanting to deny that he was just as bad. He’d only wanted to do what was best for Grace. But now, he’d have to do so again. 

The pirate said the Dark Swan didn't possess the ability to love. The Savior insisted the Dark Swan lies. The Dark Swan claimed she loved him and Grace was safe. Was she safe?! He'd felt something strong and all consuming, something he'd never felt before. He couldn't speak his doubt aloud now, not when his loyalty could affect Grace. 

In his confusion and attempt at not panicking, he bent and snatched up his trousers from the floor. Put them on. Avoid eye contact. Think of a distraction!

 

Emma

“Who said I’m not capable of loving someone? Even the Dark One is capable of experiencing love. Although I don’t know what he sees in that bookworm. And you should listen to the pirate, Emma. For once he got something right.”   
Behind her back she felt Jefferson retreat, grabbing her hands and heard the whispered ‘no’.   
So Jefferson thought she was manipulating him? 

She turned to face him. “You think I lied about the true love’s kiss?”  
She watched him grabbing his pants and slip into it. He clearly was distracted and seemed to be confused. Emma sighed.   
“You know, Jeff, there’s an easy way to proof to you I am _not_ lying. All you have to do is kiss me again, right here and now.”

Emma’s eyes were only focused on him, still presenting her naked body. She gave him a soft look that told him ‘hey, it’s okay you doubt me, I still believe in you.’

\----

Emma was relieved by Killian’s words. He seemed not to think Emma wouldn’t love him, but clinged to the thought that the Dark Swan was lying.   
Emma found her confidence again.   
She looked back at Jeff who eventually got his pants back on. Emma took that as a good sign, maybe he wasn’t entangled too deep in the Dark Swan’s net yet. She could still help him getting away from her.

However, the Dark Swan offered to proof her words right.   
Killian told her to leave, but Emma couldn’t. There was something Jeff needed to tell her, and she couldn’t allow that the Dark Swan was running around.  
“We can’t leave yet, I need to talk to Jeff - in private. He’s hiding something,” Emma whispered to Killian, making sure neither Jeff nor Emma could hear her words.   
“Can you somehow distract her, and get me a moment with Jefferson?”

Emma was worried by now about Emma’s offer. What if Jeff did kiss her, and she was right? Absurd, but not impossible. At least Jeff seemed to realize she was manipulating him, as he said so.   
“Don’t listen to her, Jeff. You’re right, she’s manipulating you. You only need to step back from her, and I promise I’ll help you. You’re better than that.”  
Emma even stretched out her arm, offering it to Jeff in a gesture of trust.   
Her eyes locked onto his, her lips formed the words “Grace. I know” in silence. Luckily the Dark Swan was facing Jeff and couldn’t see her. 

Jefferson

Jefferson heard the Savior's warning. It was entirely possible he was being manipulated. He'd said it himself. He knew he was being manipulated. But what the hell was he going to do about it? He had to be the one to deal with it, not either of them. It was foolish to think he could warn Emma. There would be too much danger in doing so, wouldn't there? So, he avoided eye contact with the Savior, ignored her outstretched hand (that felt like a betrayal in itself if he took her hand, even though it shouldn't). No, he was stuck.

After he'd gotten his trousers zipped up, Jefferson looked up. Meeting his Emma's eyes, he saw something there. Understanding? Love? He shook his head wanting to dispel that. Who was right? Did she mean it? And if she did, denying her wasn't what he'd intended to do. Just... with that audience they had, he was starting to get uncomfortable. Proving a true love in front of his ex-Emma... "I..." he started, but a sudden motion out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.

~

Killian was conflicted. He wanted to help his Emma. He didn't give a bloody damn about Jefferson nor could he comprehend why Emma was so adamant about helping him whether he was hiding something or not. But that was why she was the Savior and Killian was not. 

Sighing, he nodded as his eyes flicked back to the pair in the closet having a moment. An idea struck and he moved on impulse. Likely to his imminent demise, but he had to try. 

Reaching into the closet, he grabbed the elbow of the Dark Swan and pulled hard intent on yanking her out of the closet so his Emma could run in. "I need a moment of your time, Love." 

~

Jefferson's eyes widened in shock at the sight of the pirate, who he already didn't like, daring to touch his true love! Okay, so he was admitting it to himself only. No need to say it aloud. He was so shocked, it took him a full second to react. "Hey! Get your hand off her!" 

Something on the shelf caught his eye and before he could think better of his actions, he was reaching for it. Emma's black pistol he never gave back after their first meeting. Extending his arm, he aimed the pistol at the pirate, eyes flicking back and forth between him and the two Emmas.

Emma

“It’s okay, I know…” Emma was just about to take Jeff’s hand, giving him confidence, when she was grabbed by her elbow. It was Killian who pulled her roughly out of the closet.   
“Hey!” Was all Emma could say before she landed against Killian’s chest or more - in his arms - when she was about losing her balance.   
“Don’t touch the wrong parts, or I’ll cut off your other hand as well,” Emma hissed at him, when his remaining hand came close to her bare breast.  
“Isn’t Emma stripping enough for you that you need a moment of my time, pirate?”

She looked at Jeff, seeking for help. Although she could use magic to free herself or even get rid of Killian, she wanted to see how Jeff reacted. And his reaction was more Emma could even hope for.  
For a moment she was speechless when Jeff pointed a gun at Killian, demanding to let her go.  
Emma gave Killian a triumphant look. “Any more doubts I am his true love, love?” She teased Killian by using _his_ phrasing.

\----

Emma was still staring at Jeff. Keeping eye contact was important, although Jeff didn’t look at er anymore. He was also ignoring her outstretched hand. Emma didn’t give up.   
She had furrowed her brows what gave her an almost desperate expression; desperate to be of any help for him.

But then things changed. Killian stepped into action by pulling the Dark Swan away from Jeff, intending to have a “private talk” with her; still naked, Emma noticed in disapproval. But she had not time for this.   
She wanted to step up to Jeff into the closet and assure him she would help him, when he ordered Killian to get his hands off “his” Emma, and suddenly pointed a _gun_ at Killian!

Emma reacted out of instinct as she grabbed for her own weapon. But she hesitated. Slowly she lifted both hands, leaving her weapon pocketed.   
“Jeff, please put the weapon down. We only want to _help_ you!”   
Her hands still holding in height of her waist and away from her body to show Jeff she didn’t intend to hurt him, she made a step towards him, shoving herself between Jeff’s weapon and Killian. 

“You wouldn’t shoot me, Jeff. If you kill me, you’ll kill ‘your’ Emma.” She had stopped, about two meters away from him. “Let me help you! Think of Grace.” Emma hoped hearing the name of her daughter would bring him back to senses. “You don’t want your daughter have a murderer as father, would you?”  
Emma slowly stretched out her hand again, a wordless gesture that she wanted him to hand her over his weapon.

_Jefferson_

Jefferson blinked at the Savior stepping between his outstretched arm and his aim at the pirate. Emma's words demanded his attention even further on her. "I am thinking of her!" he urged. Well he had been until his Emma, naked and on show, had been grabbed, then he'd been thinking of how possessive he could be. The primal word mine! had been echoing in his mind.

Pointing the gun with emphasis, he lowered his voice but with no less menace as he glared at the Emma in front of him. "All I do is think of Grace. I'm no murderer, so don't you dare suggest I'm not doing what's best for her, but you know me, Emma. I'll do anything for what's mine." Pointing the gun again, he added through bared teeth. "Including her." His eyes met his Emma, though pain was striking him in the heart. He knew this was his opportunity to tell the Savior what was going on, to get the help he needed, but he was still caught. He did love her and with the way the pirate's hand was still gripping her bare arm, he was feeling even more sick. Adjusting his grip on the pistol handle, his tongue quickly wet his dry lips. He was nervous, but didn't want to show it. "My Grace is trapped in a mirror world, frozen in crystal. Get her out safely and I'll do whatever you want. But until then," his eyes moved to the chest of the Savior as he shifted the pistol towards her. He couldn't meet her eyes as he said this. In a way, it was because he did still care for the Savior as well, but now he saw that it was merely as friends even if his actions were conflicting. "You better stay away from me because I'll do anything for her."

He understood her words, that if he hurt the Savior, he would hurt his Emma. Then there would be no reaching Grace, but his point also needed to be made. 

When he looked back up at the Savior, a dark grin was beginning to spread across his face and there was a blankness to his eyes. Coupled with wearing the hat and the exposed scar on his neck (which he shamelessly used to his advantage), he likely would remind Emma of the last time he raised a gun in this house at her mother. Would he shoot or wouldn't he? Perhaps even Jefferson wouldn't know until the moment struck. The pistol was again raised to point at the pirate's head. His thumb flicked off the safety.

~

Killian saw the way the hatter's expression changed. He truly looked mad. He would dare threaten Swan immediately after asking for help? "Bloody madman!" he yelled between gritted teeth. His hand squeezed the Dark Swan's arm harder, biting into her flesh. The hook was to her throat, yet he had no intention of pressing it. He wouldn't hurt his own Emma in process of threatening this one. "Swan, let's get out of here!"

Emma

Hearing him declare she would be his gave her a warm feeling. However, when Jeff revealed what Emma had done with Grace, and even requested her to get her out safely she frowned. But it got even worse when he told her he’d do whatever the savior wanted. Emma became angry. She began to _hate_ the brat. Well, actually it didn’t matter if Emma knew or not; she wouldn’t be able to get to Grace. 

The anger didn’t subside even when Jeff disabled the safety of the gun, still pointing it at Killian.  
The pirate’s grip became even harder, and Emma flinched. Enough of that. But before she would make the pirate pay, she had to be sure Jeff was on her side. If necessary even with his daughter back.

Trying to keep her temper she looked at Jeff.   
“I told you she’s unharmed, well taken care of, and she’ll be back right after our little adventure. Unless you want her to accompany us. She can be _here_ in a second if you wish.”  
Emma paused a moment. “I’m sure she would be delighted to see his half naked father pointing a gun at the savior, and a pirate holding a naked woman captive.”  
She gave Jeff a smile. “Your decision. Oh, maybe the _savior_ can protect her once she is back? As you said you’d do whatever she wants you to do once you get Grace back?”  
There was a dangerous, and warning undertone in Emma’s voice. 

Emma felt cold fury by now. Her arm hurt, and she felt the hook against her throat.   
“Enough of this.” With a wave of her hand Killian was hit by magic and was thrown backwards through the open door. If Emma was lucky he would fall down the stairs as well. Deserved him right.   
“It’s time to decide if you trust your true love or not, Jefferson.”  
Emma stood there, naked, hands in her hips, and waited for Jeff to decide. 

\---

Emma could see Jeff’s thumb moving and switch off the safety.   
Killian told her to get out of here, and Emma tended to agree. But this was about Jefferson. He was desperate, didn’t know what to do. The Dark Swan had his daughter trapped, and she knew he wasn’t a murderer. But the most important thing he had said was he’d do everything what she wanted as long as she would get Grace out safely.   
That meant he still trusted her. Emma intended to do everything in her power to help him, he just needed to understand that.

“I _promise_ I do everything I can to get Grace back to you. Safely and unharmed. But you need to lower your weapon. You need to _trust_ me.”

It was only a second before the Dark Swan went into action.  
When Killian was thrown back by her magic, Emma shouted his name, but stayed where she was.   
“I swear to god, if something happens to Killian I’ll kill us both,” she hissed towards the Dark Swan.   
She made another step forward, so the gun was pointing directly at her forehead by now.   
“She’s right, Jefferson. Time to decide whom you trust.”  
Emma focused on his eyes, and waited. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she listened for a sound from Killian. She hoped he was okay. 

\---

Emma only lifted an eyebrow when Emma threatened her. This was going to be interesting.  
“Is that so?” she asked. “I think we’ll let Jeff decide. She looked at her true love, and started to circle around both of them.   
“He can’t shoot you, and he can’t shoot me. Both of us will die, and he won’t do that. So how do we solve this then?”  
Emma snapped her fingers, and Killian appeared in a cloud of smoke. He had some scratches, and looked like hell. Maybe he had hit the stairs, Emma didn’t care much.   
With one hand she held him magically in the air, while her other hand made a swirling gesture, and ropes entangled his feet, hands, and arms until he couldn’t move anymore.

“Well, let’s make this easy. Shoot the pirate if you are on _my_ side. Shoot me if you are on her side.” Emma smiled. She was standing beside Killian, her hand grasping his neck.   
“What will it be…”

Jefferson  
She was still manipulating him. He told her not to do that. Becoming agitated, it seemed even the Savior was pushing at him as she stepped into the gun. 

God damn it! This hero complex is going too far! What the hell was he supposed to do now? He didn't lower the gun from the Savior's forehead. "Trust? Hah." It was the faintest of laughs. "I don't trust either of you. You're both half of a whole."

He watched past the Savior's head as the Dark Swan seemed to be holding the pirate immobile. He was wincing horribly with a bloodied gash trailing down his face. Lucky bastard got away for the slightest of moments. If only Jefferson could as well. But he was backed into a closet. His portal was downstairs and completely out of reach of these two demanding women. 

Sighing heavily, he lowered the gun from the Savior's head. "Please take Hook and leave," Jefferson said flatly. "I'll can handle her." His eyes went straight to his Emma. "She needs to be shown that I'm not going to give up on her. I made a promise I intend to keep."

He glanced down at the gun in his hand. "Oh. And this is yours. I just... kept it. Before."

 

Emma  
So he chose the third option. Emma was disappointed, and even hurt when he said he wouldn’t trust either of them. But it was not totally unexpected. She had forced him to make an impossible decision, although it had only been a test. If Jefferson had decided to shoot - whomever - it wouldn’t have worked. However, him sending the savior away, and still standing in for his Emma left a certain base she could work with. But trust was something he hadn’t proven yet. He was obviously still hoping for Emma to get his daughter back. 

Emma focused on her alter Ego by now, and stepped over to Jeff. Killian dropped to the ground, still tangled, and looked like a fish out of water.  
“You heard him,” Emma said without emotion in her voice. “Take your gun, the pirate, and leave.”  
She waved both hands, and when the smoke had vanished that was surrounding her, she was fully dressed again in the Camelot clothes Jeff had removed not long before.  
“We have somewhere to go.”

\-----

Emma was shocked when the Dark Swan conjured Killian who looked terrible.   
“Killian, no!” She wanted nothing more than get him out of here, but she had asked for this. She wanted to help Jefferson, and he was still pointing the gun at her head.  
Emma forced herself to stay in place, her eyes pleading Jeff not to harm Killian, but her.  
Emma was hurt when Jefferson said he didn’t trust her. They had been a couple! He should know her. She had stayed here, stepping in only to _help_ him, and he didn’t trust her?  
“Then do it,” she whispered, not knowing if he could hear her. “Kill me, and your problem is solved.” 

Suddenly Jeff sighed heavily, lowered his weapon, and wanted her to leave - with Killian, and her weapon.   
Wordlessly Emma took it, and turned away from him. She wasn’t able to say anything that wouldn’t sound like an accusation, so she kept quiet.   
Instead she kneeled down beside Killian, and used her magic to untangle him.   
“Killian, are you alright?” A faint shimmer appeared around her hand when she started to heal his wounds.   
“Let’s get out of here. You heard the hatter - he can handle the Dark One. I hope he doesn’t overestimate himself.”  
Emma helped Killian up, and both left without looking back.

Emma was done with Jefferson. Should he see how he get Grace back. If Killian was in danger of being hurt Emma wasn’t joining the game. She would find a way to deal with her other half, but she was done with Jeff and his business.

\----

As soon as they were alone, Emma turned to Jeff.   
“You really think I’m like the savior? I admit, I put you in a … uhm… tricky situation, but if you would trust me you had known I haven’t manipulated you; only your gun.”  
Emma put both hands on his shoulders and sighed deeply.   
“I swear to you, I never wanted or will harm Grace. If you wish, she can still come with us, it’s up to you. Just say so, and she’s here with us. But I _need_ this amulet from Camelot to be free of Emma.”  
Her hands started to stroke over his still naked chest.   
“I didn’t lie either about the true love’s kiss. If you don’t believe me, just kiss me again.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A jump into Camelot...

Jefferson

He had likely just burned a bridge between himself and Savior Emma, their past dissolved into unimportance now by his choice. He had little other option. Shoot any of them? No. He was done making those sorts of impulsive decisions. And now that he'd sided with 'darker than the Dark One,' he would have to stick with that decision and its consequences as well. 

With a blank look, Jefferson regarded Emma as she spoke to him. Her touching of his bare skin still had the ability to send a pleasurable feeling down his spine, but he'd been manipulated enough and he wasn't going to let her see how she affected him. Even if she says she hadn't, he knew she had and still was. 

She was even contradicting herself now saying the amulet would free her from Emma. She was free now. What more could it do? She had told him before when she was posing as the Savior trying to trick him (another manipulation) that the amulet would unite Regina back with her Evil Queen side. So what was the truth? What did it truly do? Did it matter? He had to help her find it regardless of what it will do. 

Taking a breath of composure, Jefferson looked down at her hand on his chest, a way of breaking eye contact so he could speak without getting lost in her eyes. Carefully placing his hand over hers, he spoke. "No. Not until we're back like you said. I don't want her to remember this." 

Meeting her eyes again, he could see the striations in her eyes, she was so close and alluring. Why did his heart betray him like this? He should be raging mad! But he never did lose his temper easily. Always able to keep himself in control in the worst of situations so he could get what he wanted. 

"I do believe you. That's why I sided with you and not her. I won't leave, Emma." Fool, the little bit of conscience he possessed accused him.

Emma 

“As you wish. Just remember I offered you to bring her back. It is not my intention to use her for blackmailing you.” She managed to free her thumbs and stroke gently over the sides of his hand.

His next words conjured a charming smile on her lips that had a touch of sadness. Emma knew he would say everything to make sure Grace was safe; it was his way to manipulate her. 

She sighed deeply, and withdrew her hands. Maybe she should not only try to get this amulet but also look for ingredients for a forgetting potion. Camelot bore a lot of hidden treasures, and Merlin had been one of the most powerful sorcerers ever. Maybe Emma could find something that would cure her lover from his damn daughter.  
Emma was tired that he was only worrying about her. The brat.

“Let’s go. The sooner we go, the sooner we’re back, and you will be reunited with your Grace forever.” Emma turned, and headed out of the room, down the stairs.

Jefferson

And if he decided not to take her to Camelot? Would she think to blackmail him then? She was quite desperate for that amulet that was either useless in his opinion or to the contrary, something entirely dangerous for the Savior's side of this battle. He'd never wanted to get involved at all, but there he was, right in the middle. The thought remained unspoken as he watched her retreat from him. There were thoughts brewing in her mind as well, he was certain. Whatever her intentions were, he doubted Grace was at the top of her priority list for him. 

She was just as elusive, however, as she turned and left the room. 

He had to finish dressing and returned to the closet to don the hastily discarded shirt again pulling the laces closed in the front of the shirt this time. He found a scarf that brought out the deep plum colors in the design and tied it neatly at his neck. A waistcoat and finally the long, heavy coat with a high collar nearly completed the 'costume.' He hadn't worn anything like this in well over thirty years. By Storybrooke standards, it was certainly a costume. His boots were pulled on next. The final thing he needed was in the closet on the first floor. 

Sighing, he put his favorite, non-portal hat back on the shelf in his closet and had a fleeting thought that he may not return to ever see it again. Frowning at the hat, he shoved it farther back on the shelf, flicked the light off with a dispassionate gesture, and left his bedroom.

"Need anything to eat before we go? I'd suggest we could pick something up along the way, but I have no silver or coppers for currency in Camelot." Having no money would contrast with the way the two of them were dressed and he smirked at the thought. Hopefully, they would only be in Camelot long enough to grab the amulet Emma sought and get the hell out before which ever monarch ruled the land now, since he'd heard Arthur had met his demise recently. "Or we could always steal food, too." 

Flipping open the spice cabinet door, Jefferson pushed a few bottles aside to grab a certain one from the back and quickly stuffed it into one of his inner coat pockets.

Emma

Emma was pacing around in the sitting room while she waited for Jeff. She couldn’t stop thinking about Grace, and how much the little brat was a disturbing factor in her upcoming relationship with Jeff. At least she intended to stay with him. Aside from the fact that he was attractive and handsome, he could also satisfy her in bed, and having a portal jumper at hand was perfect. Not to mention they had shared true love’s kiss. Only Grace needed to vanish. Should she try a time travel spell like Zelena had done? Change the past, prevent Jeff from siring Grace? Kill the woman he fell for before they had a chance to meet?

Emma had no problem to kill someone, but only of it was necessary. Preventing events from happening that would involve killing someone was not a necessity. Besides, casting a time travel spell wasn’t that easy. She might need Zelena’s help for that, and forcing a powerful witch into helping her might be more difficult and complicated than coming up with something else.

The forgetting potion seemed to be the best option so far. The only problem was she had to make sure to erase Grace’s name from everyone’s memory. That included Emma as well. Emma wasn’t looking forward to have another confrontation with the savior. Their paths would cross again soon, that was inevitable, but only for using the amulet and be free. Maybe the forgetting potion wasn’t a good idea either. 

Before Emma could think about something else, Jefferson eventually appeared. Emma looked at him, and she liked what she saw. “Currency won’t be a problem, I have magic, in case you forgot. And we’ll find something to eat in Camelot unless you want to have something first.”

She watched Jefferson grabbing a bottle from a cabinet that he quickly store it inside his pocket. “What is that for?” Emma wasn’t in the mood for having him secrets now.

Jefferson

"Hmm?" Jefferson asked absently as he scanned the remainder of the cabinet for anything else he may have stored in the back years ago. He couldn't recall anything else particularly useful. Not that a bit of cayenne pepper wouldn't do in a pinch. But what he'd pocketed was far more effective. 

Deciding it should be sufficient, he shut the cabinet with a poke of one finger as he turned to face Emma. One hand clutched the front lapel of his coat, the other behind his back, as he strolled casually towards her. She was looking rather suspicious, something he could certainly empathize with in light of what had just occurred upstairs. 

"Oh. The little something-or-other?" He patted his chest over the inside pocket and smirked. "While you have magic, you don't know how predictable or unpredictable it may be in another realm, darling. And aside from the little bit of magic I possess in steering one specific portal, I have none else. I never go on a trip without some form of protection. And guns won't be very effective in Camelot. Knives aren't really my thing." 

He stepped up to Emma now and glanced down upon her with hooded eyes, his fingers trailing along her jaw to her neck and finally resting on her waist. "While I may have the gift of a quick tongue, my charms don't always get me out of tricky situations. So, I managed to get a bit of dreamberry powder, or at least this world's equivalent of it." He flicked a hand at the difference seeing it as unimportant. "Dreamberry is from a particularly beautiful plant from Wonderland. In this world, it's ground up powder from a few prescription drugs which I snatched from the hospital years ago." He shrugged as the details of that were rather boring. No need to go into detail of how he'd impersonated a hospital worker to get it, but he wanted to ease her suspicions. It wasn't as if he'd thought to use it on her for this trip. Not until now. He had used just a touch of it in her tea the night they first met, but he wasn't planning on doing that again. Certainly not.

Grinning, he leaned in and offered a quick kiss to her cheek. Revealing his other hand, he pressed a small package into her hand. "Still like pop-tarts? Good 'road' food."

 

Emma

Dreamberry powder? Wasn’t that the kind of powder Mulan had once used to put Snow White to sleep so she could communicate with Henry in the dreamworld? Was that the same powder Jefferson had used on her to knock her out when she had been here the first time? Ground Poppy or dream powder had Mulan called it. Jeff’s might be the same. Emma believed him that he needed some kind of protection when he was visiting other worlds, but could she trust that Jefferson wouldn’t use it against her?

She found herself cuddling against him, his fingers had made their way from her face down to her waist.   
Emma wanted to trust Jefferson on this one, as he had willingly revealed what was in that bottle, but yet she would keep an eye on him.   
Maybe she could also make use of that dream powder to get rid of Grace. Hm, she had to think about such possibility...

While she thought about that Jefferson kissed her cheek, and offered her some pop-tarts. Emma smiled, and took them. “You know I can’t resist.” She took a bite, and waited for Jeff to take *the* hat out. “I’m ready when you are.”

Jefferson 

Grinning still, Jefferson nodded as he left Emma's side. The grin quickly dropped once his back was to her. It seemed they were off on an adventure. Her appearance in his house had been wholly unexpected, but had already been an adventure. Escapades through out the house, in multiple rooms, and deadly threats aside, his heart was racing a little from what should come next. The possible things they might next get involved in could be catastrophic or wholly wonderful. 

Fortunately, they had both been to Camelot before. Yet with the loss of the monarch they both were familiar with, it could be a benevolent or malicious ruler in Arthur's place by now. Hence, the dreamberry powder.

Pulling the door opened to the closet, he found the leather hat box exactly where he'd tossed it in his haste to answer the front door. A thrill of nerves shot through him. Hopefully, this wasn't going to be a mistake. Consequences... magic always comes with a price. His fingers tapped restlessly on the door frame as he stared at it. No way he could change his mind now. They were outfitted and ready. Emma made it clear she was going to get that amulet. 

So, he leaned in and slipped his fingers through the strap on the lid and pulled it from the closet. Approaching Emma again, he very carefully set the box on the table near her. The lid was flipped open with the utmost respect for the contents. His eyes flicked to Emma's to see how she was reacting. Was she eager? Or was he taking too long. 

"I suppose I'm ready," he mumbled as he gently lifted the top hat from the case. "If the new ruler of Camelot isn't too keen on illegal visitors, we'll need to be careful. Try to avoid being noticed. And if one of us is captured, neither of us will be able to step through the portal again. Two in, two out. And I am the only one that has the ability to steer it." There was an edge to his tone. He certainly didn't want to get ditched in Camelot as Regina had done to him. "It was a miracle you and your mother even made it to the Enchanted Forest at all. You could've ended up in Atlantis, drowning." 

His tone had turned rather sour as he spoke. These were all reasons why he hadn't used the portal again. When he had everything he needed in life, there was no reason to use such a dangerous tool again. However, his ability may be the only reason why Emma hadn't killed him after that stunt he pulled upstairs with the Savior. 

None of it put him in a particularly good mood.

Emma

The pop-tart turned out to be a good distraction. Although Emma had no idea yet how to solve the ‘Grace-problem’, at least she was only one step away from being able to free herself from the savior. The little cake gave her something to do until Jefferson _finally_ returned with the hat box. Maybe a second one would prevent her from opening the hat box by herself, and simply pull the hat out. 

_Why rush things_ she thought suddenly. She had time. The savior might know what was going on, but she was busy for now with her pirate, and Jeff seemed to have pissed her off. Emma had to smile thinking about that. Although she believed her alter ego would try to find Grace, it was impossible for her to “rescue” her within the next minutes or at all. Emma doubted the savior would even try. She had enough time to find that amulet, and use it.

She didn’t notice Jeff was looking at her, her mind was wandering, and it was not before Jeff said something Emma focused on him again.

_Ah, the portal rules. Two in, and two out._ Well, that gave her even more time. Even _if_ Emma could find Grace within the next day, they would be in Camelot, and she had no chance to let Jeff know about his daughter. Things were going well for Emma, and she relaxed.

Jefferson seemed to be on edge. Emma could tell from the way he talked. There was something in his voice… concern, resistance, and maybe a bit of fear. Emma placed her hand gently on his arm. “I’ll watch out for you. We go in, get the amulet, and go out. Nothing more. And don’t worry about the portal bringing us to the wrong place - I know you can do it. You always did, and I have faith in you and your abilities. And I know you’ll always come back for your daughter.”

Her other hand was on his cheek, and she gave him a long kiss for reassurance. Her last sentence about Grace wasn’t meant as a threat, although it might be a little reminder to him that she was the only one who could bring Grace back; just to make sure he would take her back with him in any case. Two in and two out didn’t necessarily mean Emma would be the second person. Emma was still skeptical about the savior. What if Jeff would change his mind and put his hat on the savior to bring back her daughter?   
Emma doubted he would do that, but… she didn’t know what would happen in Camelot.

“I’m ready.” She was eager to go now. Freedom was calling.

Jefferson 

Jefferson raised an eyebrow at Emma's confidence in his abilities. He hadn't meant he feared his own ability to land them in the wrong place. He was concerned that she might attempt to leave him and use the hat without him which could land her in the wrong place should she find someone to replace him. But, she was offering confidence in him and he wouldn't look that particular gift horse in the mouth. 

So, he simply nodded at her readiness and stepped back from the table. "I know you'll watch out for me and I'll do the same for you. Now. Step back. We'll jump together." 

With a careful flick of his wrist, the hat sailed from his fingers and towards the hardwood floor. Immediately, the purple mist began to seep from within the hat and spill out across the floor. A wind began to pick up which rocked the chandelier as well. The house's contents would be safe for the most part, but they would need to jump quickly or else the portal would become unstable. 

He held out his hand for Emma and met her eyes. There was a particularly excited gleam in his eyes that may have been fueled in part by his anxiousness over everything that was also going on. But there was no time like the present and decisions had already been made. 

Once she would take his hand, he would jump. 

-

Jefferson steered the portal to lead them into a room that existed within the hat. It was a magical limbo between worlds that in a way mirrored the luxuriousness of the mansion. The floor was an exquisite, black granite with golden embellishments curving along a path from one hall into the next. All along the pathway were doors of so many varieties, not one looked alike another. 

Some doors were more obvious of where they led than others. A round door with undulating water beyond would lead to Atlantis or similar water worlds, whereas a doorway with various fungi and lichens growing along the frame of the looking glass would lead to Wonderland.

The one that would lead to Camelot was a mixture of golden framing and stone. In addition, a pink flower bloomed in the center. "Middlemist flower," Jefferson explained as he poked a finger into the blossom. "They only grow in Camelot." Perhaps Emma knew this. He wasn't sure, but he felt a sense of pride in being her guide. "It's good to see they still exist. It's a good sign that if there is a new monarch, things haven't gone wrong. Yet." 

After they had arrived into the hat, Jefferson would have broken away from Emma just briefly so that he could check things out. He hadn't been in the hat in so many years, he had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be in there again. Nothing had changed really. It even smelled like a rich leather and silk. He took a deep breath as he glanced around. A trace of a smile lit his mouth. It was good to be back, if he would admit to himself. This trip wouldn't be so bad after all, he reflected. 

He held out his elbow for Emma to take. When she did, he would push the door open and step through.

Emma

Emma did as he asked, and watched in faszination the portal forming. She took the hand Jeff offered, and nodded when he looked at her. Then they jumped.

“So many doors.” Emma walked a bit around to have a closer look, but stayed near him. When Jefferson seemed to have found the right one, she stepped closer. “I saw these flowers when I was in Camelot.” Emma paid closer attention to the middlemist flower, as Jeff had called it. She looked at him while he explained the meaning of the flowers still being there. She couldn’t help it, but something had changed in Jeff. 

Minutes ago he was reluctant and worried, while now he seemed to enjoy this. Emma allowed herself to smile. It was only to her advance when Jeff’s thirst for adventure came back. She needed him to think more of her and their future instead of his daughter. Both had potential; if they combined their abilities… it was too good to be true. Jefferson on her side as her true love, able to bring her to world wherever she wanted to go, get whatever she needed - they could have such a fantastic life together. 

_Heads in the clouds,_ Emma thought and sighed. Before she planned her future she needed to be free from Emma. _The amulet first._

Jefferson was ready to open the door in the meantime, and held out his elbow for her. Emma grabbed on, and he opened the door. Together they stepped through.

\---

Emma looked around and let go of Jeff’s arm. The portal had brought them to the edge of a forest near a small village. At least Emma could see the outlines of some huts and smoke, and she could hear some animals that weren’t living in a forest normally.  
“Now, are we in Camelot?” She asked her travel companion. 

Jefferson 

There was an odd flutter of a bird embarking from a tree branch over head as they stepped through. Jefferson looked up to see the bird take flight as he squinted at the tree canopy. A stream of sunlight was filtering through. The forest. It was very much alike the trees surrounding the mansion. But the air had a different smell here. Clean. Nature. And smoke somewhere in the distance. He heard a lowing of cows if he was hearing properly. Cows in Camelot? Interesting. Peering through the trees ahead, he noticed the huts and the source of the smoke as it rose to the sky. 

"I suppose we are," he answered with a smile turned down Emma's way. His prior nerves had dissipated now that they had made it through. Emma even seemed to be happy if he was reading her correctly. That was surely a good sign. Yes, everything was going to be completely fine. There was no reason to continue to fret. Grab the amulet like she said and get the hell out. Back to Grace.

This was the land in which he had met Priscilla and where his life had changed. How strange it was to have taken his second love to the same land. He wasn't certain how to feel about that. Best not to think about it. 

As they continued along the path at a casual pace, he bent to swipe up a handful of wildflowers from the edge of the path and offered them to Emma. "For you, my lady." The cheeky grin grew wider. "If we do need to blend in, shall I call you Lady Emma, or... Princess Emma of Misthaven? What do you think?" He knew damn well Emma wasn't one for formalities, but they did need to get their stories straight in advance.

Emma

“Where’s the castle? I want to get this done quickly.” Emma felt impatience rising in her. Finally she was in Camelot, that had been the difficult part. Well, it had turned out better than she imagined. Getting the amulet should be easy, and then… maybe she better kill Emma; that annoying dame would probably cause her some trouble in the future. 

Jefferson walked off, and Emma focused on the environment. It was surely a nice place to live, no cars or big cities… Emma liked the place. Contrary to the other Emma who was more comfortable in using modern stuff like cars and phones, Emma prefered using her magic, and Storybrooke or New York were worlds that better exist without magic. It… didn’t really fit.

Jefferson suddenly bent down, and was offering Emma some wildflowers in the next moment. He was simply a gentleman. A smile appeared on her face, and she joined the game.  
“Thank you, my Lord.” Emma made a curtsy and sighed. That title thing again. She didn’t understand why titles were used at all. Well, that was one of the disadvantages of other realms. Titles, descent and estate were important here. “Better stick to the truth; ‘Princess’ Emma of whatever will suffice.” She knew of the unintentional humor of her choice, but at least it was the truth. She was a damn princess.

“And you are…?” Emma gave Jeff a questioning look. “My handsome Prince Jefferson?” She buried her nose into the flowers so she could smell their aroma.

Jefferson 

"Ehh..." he started, not expecting any such titles for himself. He'd never needed one before on his solo travels, but he wasn't solo this time. "Just Jefferson is usually sufficient. I come from the working class and earned my reputation of thief for hire by daring to do what others couldn't in dangerous lands." He certainly didn't deserve any royal titles, but he could perhaps impersonate one if needed.

As they neared the village, the smell of smoke became alarmingly sharper. Something was burning and it didn't smell like campfire. There was also the sound of crying reaching his ears. Jefferson frowned as he craned his neck to better see what was going on.

Putting a hand out to stop Emma, he whispered, "Something happened here." Looking towards the towers of the castle in the distance, he noticed the banners had changed. "New ruler in town, evidently." Of course, they were going to have to steal from someone with a bad temper, it seemed.

"Whatever happened to the days of benevolent rulers? They're so much easier to steal from. Everyone's got to be a villain." And he shut up as the complaint left his mouth. 'I'm worse than the Dark One,' Emma had said. But he didn't fear her, exactly. Not after what they had done together. She was different. She wasn't like Regina. Or was he blinded by how he felt?

Taking a deep breath, he feigned apathy as he glanced back to Emma. "No matter. We'll still get what we came for."

While he didn't exactly want to go investigate the village, he figured if they didn't know what this ruler was capable of, they would have a bigger shock if they found out unprepared. "Let's go see what we're dealing with. Then we'll sneak into the castle."

Emma

Still in a good and playful mood Emma raised her eyebrows, and looked at him when he stumbled about her question.   
“Princesses don’t travel with common thieves. Especially not when one of those thieves offers the princess some wildflowers. She could think there’s more behind it…”  
Emma stopped him for a moment, grabbed the shirt above his chest, and used it to pull him closer. She turned her head slightly, so her mouth was close to his ear.  
“A helpless princess in hands of a common thief… actually, that sounds… exciting!”

She placed a quick kiss on his cheek before she let go of him again and continued walking. Why did she always feel the need to have body contact with Jeff? She wanted to feel him, wanted to kiss him all the time. He was like an elixir of life for her. Ever since he had defended her against Emma, she couldn’t stop thinking of _mating_ with him.   
Not that she would ever admit it to him.But it was bothering her, as it was distracting. However, she enjoyed these ‘small’ moments.

Jefferson’s hand stopped her, and Emma looked up. Now she could smell and see it too. Jeff was right. They had to be careful now. She followed Jeff’s look, and saw the castle too.   
The banners weren’t familiar in any way, and Emma shrug her shoulders. 

“We don’t need to bother about the kind of ruler. He won’t be any thread to us.”  
Emma almost hoped they would run into some trouble. She had the desire to either pull Jeff into the bushes, and… well, _have fun with him_ or kill some people.  
Emma knew something wasn’t right; her desires were stronger than before. Something was up here. Only Emma didn’t know what.  
“And we’re no villains - we’re… _collectors._ As you said, we will get what we came for.”

Jeff wanted to see what was going on, and so was Emma. She stayed behind him, following his path.

Jefferson 

His head was still buzzing over the way Emma had grabbed his coat and pulled him up to her with a scenario on how the Princess and the Thief would work out. She had startled him at first. His eyes widening at her sudden motion and possession of his upper body, but when she said the word 'exciting,' his breath had caught in his throat, his hands reaching for her. Oh yes. He would rather enjoy acting as if he stole her away from her family (damn her father). It was almost laughable. The Dark Swan playing princess to him? It was like their first encounter again. Except this time she was willing and maybe less likely to give him a concussion what with this true love predicament. But he'd had to catch sight of the destruction ahead and suddenly safety took precedence over any romp in the bushes. For now anyway.

Keeping his eyes forward on the smoking village, he could conceal the way his lips were turned up in a grin. Not exactly an expression one should wear when approaching a scene of potential death and destruction, but he was aware that he hadn't been quite right in the head for some time.

Was Emma grouping him into the category of 'we're no villains'? Because it sounded like she was. Reaching behind him where Emma followed, he sought out her hand to keep her close by. "Collectors. Indeed we are." His little collection of dreamberry powder in his pocket was part of his particular collection. If he found anything else useful in this land, he would be sure to grab it as well. It wasn't every day any longer that he had an opportunity to collect otherworldly things.

Upon contact with Emma's hand, he felt the familiar tingle run up his arm and straight to his heart causing it to race in excitement. Here they were approaching the sorts of thrills he couldn't get enough of in his youth. He could almost be glad of the opportunity. If only...

Before he could complete the thought, a blur of motion through the trees signaled someone was rushing directly towards them in a hurry. Stepping back, he squeezed Emma's hand to keep her behind him. His free hand began to reach into his pocket when two green suits of armor upon horseback tore through the trees and past them unseen.

Jefferson made a sharp inhale of breath at the sight of the knights as the horses' hooves thundered towards the castle. He knew that armor, and it made sense with Arthur dead and gone. "The Green Knight!" Jefferson hissed at Emma. "That's the new ruler of this land. Bertilak. He's known as the Green Devil and aptly named."

Several wailing individuals began to run out of the bushes now to become visible where Jefferson and Emma stood. Some were half burned, some had missing limbs still bleeding.

Jefferson cringed at the sight.

Emma

When Jeff took her hand she felt less like an evil Emma but more as an excited Emma. She could almost smell the danger and excitement that was in the air. It stimulated her senses, and she felt magic prickling in her fingers. Jeff suddenly squeezed her hand, and Emma knew something was happening. She saw a movement somewhere in the trees probably a few seconds after Jeff. She ducked, and kept quiet, her heart beating faster of excitement. 

She almost hoped the rider would see them and she could _deal_ with them, but they passed them without even realizing someone was near them. When they were gone, Jeff said something about a Green Knight or Bertilak. 

Emma frowned, and tried to remember if she had ever heard something about him. But neither his title nor name (Bertilak was probably his name) sounded familiar.  
It only reminded her of one person. “Green knight? Sounds like someone related to Zelena. Perhaps her real father? Is he as wicked as she is when he goes by ‘devil’ too?”

The swishing of leaves caught her attention. Emma wasn’t shocked about seeing half disfigured human beings appear out of some bushes, she was more… intrigued. “What the hell has happened to them?”

Emma’s hands started to shimmer with magic. Whoever did that to them had… well, actually done a marvellous job. It was maybe a bit too cruel, but effective. Maybe she should try to get an audience with that Bertilak-devil-being. Regina could be cruel, but she was more into killing someone. This… was art. Keeping them barely alive with the utmost pain to experience.

Her magic was ready to kill them off in case they’d become a threat, but it seemed they were simply hiding. “Maybe we shouldn’t try to sneak into the castle, but knock. This Bertilak seems to be… interesting. I’d like to hear his story. What do you say?” Emma assumed Jeff would reject, but maybe he wanted to hear his story as well. Unless he already knew it. No matter how he would decide, Emma wasn’t afraid of confronting him. His weapons seem to be terror, torches, fear and swords; but she had magic. 

 

Jefferson 

Jefferson started and glanced to Emma when she mentioned the Green Knight might be of some relation to the Wicked Witch. He shook his head as he thought of the witch's family tree and all he knew of were two people he loathed more than the green one herself. Cora and Regina. He raised his lip in disgust as he looked off towards the castle. The knights were out of sight by now and that would likely be why the half-dead villagers had come out.

Not wanting to get mixed up with them, he tugged on Emma to get her away. He had neither the tools or the ability to help with ripped off limbs and it would only delay their acquisition of the amulet, Grace would remain frozen longer, and who the hell even knew what was going on in Storybrooke. Not that he exactly cared about Storybrooke at the moment...

"I wouldn't be half surprised if Cora slept with Bertilak. But being green in skin is only rumor. I haven't actually seen the guy in the flesh, so to speak." His tone was hushed as they walked through the trees. He glanced over his shoulder to be sure they weren't being followed. "Guess he either likes the color green as his armor glinted green in the light, or maybe he actually is green skinned. But what I do not want to do is find out!"

He stopped his haste then and pulled Emma up close to him rather forcefully to impress his exact opinion on the matter. "We did not come here to go have a friendly little chat with the owner of that castle! Do you think I survived all the trips I've made to countless realms by having a jolly ole chat, then robbing them blind?"

He blinked realizing that what he was alluding to wasn't exactly true, and his hostility lessened immediately. "Well, sometimes I had to coerce someone by... um..." His ears pinkened at the memory. "You know... getting rather close to them to get what I needed." He let his eyes travel down the front of Emma's gown and her visible cleavage in order to be more clear. To demonstrate, he led a finger trace down the side of her corset until his eyes met hers again. He stepped closer until he was able to step one thigh between hers. Their chests nearly touching. "There were a lot of perks to the job aside from getting paid for collecting. And I would get what I sought most of the time. We can get the amulet without laying eyes on the Green Knight."

Emma

Jeff didn’t seem very eager to reveal their presence to the half dead corpses. Too bad. Emma had liked to have a closer look; see how it was done. But she followed him, leaving the mob behind them unseen.

She felt the urge to giggle imagining Cora and Bertilak together, mating. “Maybe she didn’t … satisfy him completely so he went green on her.” Emma chuckled softly. Thinking about it was too funny. It was too bad Jeff still didn’t want to find out. “Who knows, maybe asking politely makes also new friends.”

Emma felt a light-headed, as if she was a bit tipsy. _What the hell is up with me,_ she thought, but couldn’t do anything against the feeling.   
It was not before Jefferson began to tell her about his… trysts that Emma felt her mood change. She didn’t feel the urge to giggle anymore, instead she felt desire. She knew exactly what Jeff meant. She was wondering if he knew that he was just beginning to talk himself into trouble by telling his _true love_ about having mated with other women. To make things worse he let his eyes wander down her décolleté while he let his fingers slide down a part of her body. 

Emma felt an overwhelming need to do exactly what he just described. One hand was suddenly fumbling at his pants, sliding down and stopped between his legs for a moment, squeezing him gently there. Then she used both hands to wrap them around his waist, pulling him closer, and intended to prevent him for pulling back.

She raised herself on tiptoes to reach Jeff’s ear with her lips. Nibbling gently on it she whispered into his ear. “Why don’t you _show_ me how you use your talents for… _other_ ladies?” There was something seductive and dangerous in her voice. At least Emma hoped so.

Jefferson 

This talk about sex, even if Cora may have been part of it (and he could shiver over that horrid image), paired with the excitement of nearby destruction and looming danger within the castle, and Jefferson was quickly growing eager for what Emma was suggesting.

He smirked as he watched Emma in her desperation. His charms were working on her just like he'd been able to do years ago as well to others. Precisely what he'd intended to prove - that he still had it.

However, the surge of lust or love or whatever the hell was going on within himself was more than expected. He'd never felt... this level of feeling before. Did that prove that this was true love like she'd said? Groaning, he closed his eyes as her hand cupped him, then she was pulling him forward and his arms were holding her just as tightly, his own desperation fueled. He'd had her twice already, but only once satisfied to completion before being interrupted.

She was asking to be shown his talents and he chuckled even though her nibble to his ear made him shiver. So she wanted to play?

One arm remained securely around her waist while one hand slowly traced up her rib cage. He watched her reaction but was simultaneously in awe of her beauty expecting that he was the reason she was acting more wild than he'd ever seen either version of Emma Swan before. It encouraged him to go further.

His hand gently squeezed one breast but continued up towards her collarbone tracing lightly over her skin, then cupped the side of her neck. His lips parted hovering a mere inch from her lips. "The key to using one's talents on another is knowing their weakness. And since it seems your weakness is... me..." He grinned with the arrogance in his tone and closed the distance so that his lips barely traced along hers as he leaned closer still to press his teeth into her ear as she had done to him. Had she been using her own talents on him a moment ago? Likely so, he figured, as she was getting what she wanted from him as well.

And since what he very much wanted was to get that amulet and get the hell out without being spotted by the Green Knight, he intended to prove how he'd put any notion of knocking on the front door completely out of her mind.

But another thing he very much wanted, and more so now that he had a pressing urgency to see it fulfilled for the second time in a day, was to get her skirts up. The intense feelings in his chest were more overwhelming than he'd ever felt with Priscilla. And he'd loved her with everything he had. How was this feeling so much more intense?

But nevertheless, he kept on with this playacting. But it wasn't an act as far as he was concerned. "I would tell her: without her presence, the very air I breathe is denied to my lungs, becoming overwhelmed with need to give myself over completely to her. She is mine and I am hers." He made eye contact with Emma just as he'd managed to get both of his hands beneath the voluminous skirts and onto her skin. "You're mine, Princess." In his way, he was telling her that he loved her.

Emma

Feeling him touching and caressing her skin sent hot waves through her body. She could tell he wanted to get things done, but it was also clear he was more willing than before to take his time for some… extras. Emma chuckled lowly. “So you are my weakness, aren’t you?” She teased him a bit by questioning his comment. “That sounds quite presumptuous I have to say.” The smile on her lips would indicate she wasn’t offended, but at this point she decided he had to be taught a lesson.

For now she enjoyed his sweet talk, and his touches. He had talent, she couldn’t deny it. _Smart ass,_ she thought when he gave her a taste of his ‘working methods.’  
His words were well-chosen, not to sweet, but enough to let every woman fall for him. But she also knew, his words were specially meant for her at that moment, and he really meant it. His eyes devoured her, and when Emma laid a hand on chest while he was busy getting his hands under her skirts, she could feel his heart beating slightly faster.  
He wanted her as much as she wanted him. 

Their eyes met, and his words conjured a most lovely smile on Emma’s lips. His hands had found their way to her skin, and Emma had some trouble not to give in. Jefferson had his own magic, and Emma thought it was time to remind him who was in control; she enjoyed their little game. She leaned closer to him, her lips were now only inches away from his, and her hand moved from his chest to his neck, where she started stroking her fingers from his neck along to his cheek. “I like the princess part,” she whispered, and her lips barely touched his before she made a step back, and retreated, leaving him with nothing but cold air.

It had cost her a lot to let go of him, but she liked teasing him, and she would make it up later. “Don’t be too convinced about your talents to get woman on your lap.”   
She gave him an apologizing look, but her eyes were sparkling mischievously. 

Jefferson 

Jefferson's jaw sagged at the sudden gap between them. She was stepping away? His arms dropped to his sides as he watched Emma, trying to make sense of what just happened and feeling completely bereft. What had he done wrong? 

And then his eye twitched at the mischief clear in her expression. So she did want to play. He could enjoy this just as well. In fact, he looked forward to the chase.

Tilting his head, he gave her a knowing look. "Well. Princess." One step nearer. "I know what works. I've already had you on my lap twice today and this thief is going to steal a third." Another step closer. "And I told you, I'm not letting you get away from me this time. You're mine." 

Grinning, he advanced, intent on catching her. 

A silent figure emerged through the trees just catching sight of what appeared to be happening. "Halt!" A booming voice echoed just as Jefferson reached for Emma. Something struck his shoulders. In his confusion, he looked down to see a looped rope draped over his chest. Then it moved, struck his neck, and was jerked hard pulling him backwards, off his feet, until his back slammed into the ground. The sensitive skin just above the scar ringing his neck was aching and he was having trouble breathing as the rope had become tight against his throat. His fingers dug at the rope to catch a breath of air and he realized he'd merely had the breath knocked out of him when he fell. The rope wasn't prohibiting him from breathing.

"Princess? Are you alright? Have you been kidnapped?" the loud voice asked with polite inquiry to his tone. 

Jefferson opened his eyes to see green armor bearing much more detail than the previous two knights wore. The figure was sitting upon horseback as the rider faced Emma. Jefferson's eyes widened in shock as the gloved hand rose and flipped up a visor. The skin underneath was glinting green in the filtered sunlight through the trees. Bertilak himself! he thought in alarm. 

This particular devil was notorious for following the law of retaliation. There was a rumor that he challenged an opponent to a duel and promised to mete out a fair fight. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Bertilak lost his head in the duel. The next day, somehow the Green Knight had survived, and when the opponent returned to court, Bertilak retaliated with beheading his opponent. If those villagers had lost arms to Bertilak, they had likely taken from him in some way. Perhaps they stole the castle's ability to arm themselves with weapons so Bertilak literally stole the villagers' arms. He could almost laugh in a mad attempt to escape the reality of this situation he and Emma had suddenly found themselves in. But he had to warn her. She didn't really know who this was!

"Emma..." he groaned as he tried to sit up, but the rope whipped tightly causing Jefferson's teeth to clack together. He stayed down with his fingers around the rope. 

"None of that until the lady has spoken. Princess... Emma?" Bertilak was gripping the rope tighter so that Jefferson could barely manage a proper breath now, but he could see her where she stood. Even if she appeared to be covered in growing spots now. No, that was just him nearing a blackout.

 

Emma

His face was priceless when she withdrew, but it didn’t take long until he had found his arrogance again. She triumphed inwardly that she had made herself so indispensable for him. So he could forget about his precious little brat, and clearly wanted to mate with Emma, not caring anymore to get as soon as possible out of here again.

She still wouldn’t make it easy for him. This time he wouldn’t get what he wanted, especially since he was thinking he could have her by only playing out his charm. Making one step after another he slowly closed the distance between them. Emma kept a neutral expression; she didn’t want to reveal if she would allow him to take her or not.

He really thought he could get her with his sweet talk, Emma bit back a smile. He was very complacent, and right in the moment when he wanted to catch her, demanding to have her a third time on his lap, and she was his, someone stepped out of the bushes. A sharp “halt” sounded, and Emma gave a quick glance towards the intruder before looked back to Jeff. A rope was suddenly looped around Jefferson’s neck, and he was pulled away from her, and landed on the ground. Emma was about to yell out first, then use her magic to free Jeff, but the question of the man changed everything.

She stared at him, and took a few seconds to think about the situation. Jeff had a rope around his neck, gasping for air, but for all Emma could see he could breathe. He wasn’t in immediate danger. That gave her more than one option to react. Good.

Emma’s eyes slid to the man in green armor, who was enthroned on a horse back. He was just opening his visir and Emma could see a green shimmering face.  
She knew that had to be Bertilak. But what to do?

He thought Emma was in trouble, and rescued her. Jeff’s words may have sounded like a threat, but he couldn’t know Emma was never in danger. So, if she’d tell the truth, it was very likely he would ride off; in the best case. In the worst case he would assume they had tried to delude him, took it as affront and kill Jeff, and taking Emma with him. Emma had to decide quickly. It was probably best to play his game. As chance would have it she was still eager to meet him and now he had found her. She had the best chances to make him believe he had been her knight in shining armor. She only had to make sure that Jefferson would be treated well, and make him believe he had indeed rescued her.

She heard Jefferson whispering her name, but Bertilak shut him up. She remembered she better say something by now. Without looking at Jeff she made a deep curtsy in front of Camelot’s new ruler. “Milord, thank you very much for saving me. I am indeed Princess Emma, and I was on my way to your castle to attend upon the new king of Camelot. I guess, you have found me first.” Emma gave him a most lovely smile, and looked at Jeff who was still lying on the ground, his fingers trying to loosen the rope, while he was now struggling for air. She had to do something.

“Milord please, don’t kill him. Allow me to take care of him, as I was the one who he wanted to touch… inappropriately.” Emma fluttered her eyelashes, giving him a pleading look.  
From the corner of her eyes she could see that Jeff was about to lose consciousness; she better do something about that. She made a barely imperceptible gesture with her right hand using some magic that would loosen the rope a bit so he could breath, but not enough so Bertilak would become suspicious. Her eyes were focused on Jeff, trying to tell him he should play along, and hoping he would understand why she was actually betraying him. She had to take her chances. 

Jefferson 

Oh. How thoughtful. She doesn't want me dead, Jefferson thought acerbically. But he was breathing without restriction now, at least. The pain radiating in his neck was too reminiscent of when he'd been beheaded in Wonderland and the familiar feeling of impending loss made him extremely nervous. It also seemed his fate was now in Emma's ability to smooth talk a violent monarch. He wasn't too fond of the show she was putting on, batting her eyelashes and curtsying to the man who had him literally by the throat, but he recognized the look in her eyes. He'd keep his mouth shut and let her do the talking.

Bertilak let out a deep, echoing chuckle that caused a flock of birds to take flight out of the trees overhead. The sound was ominous and foreboding of what the giant was capable of. "Nonsense. You are in my kingdom. I shall take care of you, Princess Emma. This reprobate shall be punished appropriately according to the law."

The rope around Jefferson's neck snaked off of him and for a brief moment, he was confused. His mind was furiously attempting to figure out what this punishment might be, but with the freedom of his neck, he was at a loss. Sitting up quickly, the alarm in his eyes flashed at Emma. He wanted her to run, but he couldn't say so. Perhaps he himself should run. But wait! How was the rope sliding off of him? Did Bertilak have magic, too? That would explain the beheading he survived.

But just as quickly as the rope slithered off his neck did it move to his wrists binding his hands together before him. Pulling on the binding, he couldn't budge his hands apart at all.

"Up with you, Thief!" Bertilak demanded as the rope was pulled tight again and nudged his horse forward.

Jefferson scrambled up quickly so that he wouldn't be dragged, and realized he was about to be led away by the wrists.

Bertilak held out his free hand for Princess Emma and if she would take his hand, he intended to pull her up to sit upon his horse with him. "Come. We shall go to the castle where I can provide my kingdom's hospitality to you. You can tell me about where you hail from and any news you bring."

Jefferson could only hope that he would be an afterthought as Emma would be an invited guest into the castle they had intended to rob. And now he wondered if Emma was actually going to enjoy this. She did say she wanted to simply knock on the door and ask for an audience. He had been very wrong to have refused. Well, she was getting what she wanted and he was getting dirt kicked upon him behind the horse.

Emma

If Bertilak was going to punish Jefferson according the law she had a problem to keep him alive. She sighed inwardly. Well, for now Jeff was safe, although Bertilak somehow managed to tie up his hands and after he helped Emma to get on his horse, they rode off. Jeff’s only options were either walk quickly behind them, or being dragged by his wrists to the castle. Emma glanced at him when the horse trotted off, and saw he chose the first option. 

Once at the castle she would have to make sure what punishment would await him, but Emma had the feeling there was only one for almost every crime - death. She thought about asking Bertilak, but she thought he might become suspicious if she was “worried” about the scum who wanted to rape her. For now, she decided it would be a good idea to try to come to good terms with the king of Camelot.

Emma was seated behind him, her hands clasped at some halfway comfortable piece of his armor as he was too huge to close her arms around his waist. “You’re too kind, your majesty. I’m honored you provide Camelot’s famous hospitality to me. I hope I can express my gratitude appropriately.”

Jefferson 

Gratitude? Appropriate gratitude? Jefferson squinted up at the two seated above him. What the hell did she mean by that? There was a particular note of appeasement in her tone. Was she flirting with the giant while he was at risk of being shit upon from behind the round ass of the draft horse?

Well, at least her adoption of Princess Emma seems to have distracted said giant. Jefferson really didn’t want to end up half burned and half-limbed like those villagers. But what if that was Bertilak’s go to for justice?

His jaw sagged and he made to scratch a sudden itch upon his throat where the rope had tickled the scar but couldn’t manage to find his neck… Raising his arms further, he suddenly found his tied hands in his face, but… no sense of feel present. He gasped sharply.

Jefferson couldn’t feel his hands! Were the ropes that tight that his circulation was cut off? He hadn’t felt the usual buzzing related to such a thing. His hands just seemed suddenly useless. Squinting his eyes, he focused on his index finger. Willed it to move. Just a tiny bit. Okay, maybe the middle finger. He could pull it upright with a different finger and wave it at the Green Knight’s back as the giant rode with his Emma, not Bertilak’s, his Emma perched upon the back of the horse.

If only he could get his middle finger up, he would feel victorious. Small victory. He could do it. Will it to work. Get it to work.

Jefferson’s eyes widened suddenly from the squint as he flashed a worried look to the rump of the horse walking slowly in front of him. Gulping a sudden lump in his throat, he shook his head. No, ‘get it to works’ to think of. No crazy talking to himself. None of that madness over a case of missing hands. He can see his hands. They are there. They just don’t work.

“Pardon me!” Finally speaking up, he was quite pleased to find his voice hadn’t also magically disappeared on him. “I’m having a bit of trouble with my hands.”

Fully expecting an answer, he continued walking along behind the horse. The rope tugged with the most minute of movements and Jefferson realized he was being ignored. “I SAID I’m having trouble with my hands! They aren’t working!”

A low rumble of a laugh came from above on the horse. Is the damned horse laughing at me now? Humiliating...

“It’s just that… I’ve never experienced this before. Even when I lost my head, I could still speak, but my hands are still attached now and they should be working. Have I made a mistake and landed us in Wonderland? This sort of thing is more likely to occur there.” But no, that was a rather stupid question. There were no giant mushrooms or talking caterpillars blowing smoky ringlets at his face. There was no Queen of Hearts ordering ‘Off with his… HANDS!’

“Oh!” He just remembered something. “Horse! Ask your rider if he fucked Her Majesty, the Queen of Hearts. We were wondering.” Jefferson grinned at Emma’s backside, chuckling to himself, but the rope lead on his wrists yanked much harder causing Jefferson to stumble. He remained on his feet, hurrying a bit to keep up before the rope grew tight again in his delay. “Okay! Sorry! It’s just that he’s green and her daughter is also green. It’s a legitimate inquiry, you know…”

Bertilak shifted uncomfortably at the question about Cora while in the saddle as the castle loomed high overhead. Careful to avoid answering any of the thief’s questions, he spoke over his shoulder to Emma. “The thief has a weak constitution. The slightest bit of magic applied to his hands and he’s losing touch with reality. You really are lucky I came upon you when I did, Princess Emma.”

Upon being noticed by the guards ahead, the portcullis was starting to rise to admit their entry into the castle. “Let me explain as you may be unfamiliar with the way Camelot is now that Arthur is dead. The Law of Retaliation states that all actions require a ‘like’ reaction. The thief attempted to touch you inappropriately after taking you from your path to my castle, as you said. Therefore, he shall not be permitted to touch anything until he is sentenced. A thief takes what is not his and since this thief attempted to touch what was not his, a decision must be made in which to remove this possibility from occuring again. It is the way we have eliminated crime in Camelot. It’s rather effective.

“After his sentence is carried out, he shall be released, as he shall no longer be considered a thief. I am not a cruel monarch, Princess. I am quite a fair one.”

Jefferson was too busy observing the outer walls of the castle to pay much attention to what was being said upon the horse. The usually loud Green Knight was speaking too quietly now for the rather distracted hatter. Whatever was said wasn’t that important to Jefferson anyway. He was looking for ways in and out of the castle for when he escapes. Up above on the rolling hill on the western side of the castle was a little doorway he’d crawled through many years ago. He could clearly picture how to get to the treasure room from that door. A hallway, a kitchen, privy closets, and ladies-in-waiting rooms… Hmm. Thinking on that subject, no, now was not the time. There was a treasure room. An amulet. Perhaps he could slip these ropes off and make a run for it. But without feeling in his hands… Teeth! Yes, teeth would work in loosening the ropes. He could still feel those couldn’t he? He ran his tongue across his teeth but this elicited no feeling from his teeth themselves, though his tongue could plainly feel they were there. Why couldn’t he feel his teeth now? Do they normally feel anything?

This was all wrong! It shouldn’t have gone this way! What had happened? He’d been too distracted trying to get into Emma’s skirts!

Moaning quietly to himself, Jefferson looked longingly towards the small hill and the door again seeing that his chance of escape was narrowing rather quickly. He stepped aboard a planked bridge and looked up to see the iron teeth of the portcullis looming overhead. “Beware the gnashing fangs of the Jabberwock,” he said under his breath in recollection of a warning spoken to him by Cheshire. The cat had said that so long ago… Or had he said ‘the Bandersnatch?’ Both were dead now, he was sure. Still, he had a very definite feeling that he should not be going in this way. There would only be trouble. Going in the way he had before would have been much safer for his own neck.


	7. Chapter 7

Emma

It was a strange feeling having Jefferson walking behind them, tied by his hands and dragged from the horse, and this impressive Green Knight sitting before her.  
So far it went well. If nothing went wrong they would make it to the castle…

Emma’s head almost flew to her back when she turned, looking at Jefferson who had started a conversation. About his _hands!_  
Emma tried to give him a hint by only looking at him to shut up, but he didn’t. He was too busy asking why his hands didn’t work anymore. 

Emma looked between Bertilak and Jefferson back and forth when the King actually answered him. Jeff’s next question however made her almost fall off the horse’s back.  
 _What the fuck is he doing!?_ Emma thought when Jeff asked the _horse_ about Bertilak and Cora! She coughed, and raised her eyebrows, telling him to shut up! But he was still talking. _He’s gone mad. For real this time._ Emma shook her head and thought about using her magic to quieten him, but the fact that Bertilak suddenly shifted around… Emma’s eyes widened. _He and Cora? Honestly? So Zelena could be indeed Bertilak’s daughter?_ She didn’t have time to think about it much longer. Bertilak started to explain to her (and answer Jeff’s first question about his hands) what his punishment would be.

She rolled her eyes. _Oh perfect._ She needed Jefferson, and she needed him to feel again. How could she ever mate with him if he didn’t feel anything? Perhaps pretending Jefferson was a sexual offender hadn’t been a good idea. But the game was on, and they had to play it. And win it. Preferably with Jefferson able to feel something again.

In the meantime they had reached the castle. “Your castle is magnificent,” Emma complimented him. The horse stopped, and someone from the many servants who had gathered around the horse, helped her down. The Green Knight seemed to slide down, the rope that led to Jefferson in his hand. “Allow me to see where the scoundrel is staying before he is sentenced. I want to see his new home with my own eyes. I won’t accept a ‘no’.” Emma gave Bertilak a most adorable smile while she dared to lay her hand onto his arm.  
“May I take him there?” She asked, and held out a hand to he could give her the rope. “I could sleep so much better knowing exactly where he is locked up, and it was me who closed the door.

Jefferson 

Bertilak loomed over Emma as he stepped down from the horse. His gauntlet covered fingers curled tighter around the rope. "Alas, Princess Emma. Justice is swift here in Camelot. Sentencing will begin immediately and will be completed tonight."

Jefferson was fully paying attention by now. His eyebrow twitched at Emma. Was she flirting with Bertilak with her hand on his massive arm!? Maybe she was getting some enjoyment out of this prospect. 

Bertilak led the two and a couple of his green armored knights into the grand entryway. The suit metal shifted and grated with each step causing a terrible racket. Jefferson's eyes kept moving as he tried to memorize everything he passed just in case he needed to know for later. Noting where weapons were displayed on walls, tapestries that appeared to be concealing a potential hidden passage, and which of the servants had the shifty eyes. Those might be bribed later. 

If only he could get his hand into his coat. But no. Dead hands at the moment meant he was quite trapped. As he walked behind Emma and Bertilak, Jefferson swung his hands out to brush Emma's dress. If she would look his way, he would silently mouth out, 'Now...?' As in Can we leave NOW?

Unfortunately, for the two foreigners, the rope was yanked again and he stepped on the train of Emma's dress which caused a bigger commotion of servants attempting to get the prisoner off of the princess. He was trying to whisper in her ear, "Take the dreamberry..." but was pulled away too quickly. He was shoved roughly into a chair in the center of a room. 

Bertilak stood before the small court gathering after making sure Emma was at his side before he spoke of what crime had occurred. “Judgement may fall into the figurative or literal category. Either option is effective and produces the same result: the thief must not be allowed to take what is not his again. Since you were the victim, you may choose which sentence is placed upon him.

“The thief shall give his hands to you by the swipe of the axe. This is the literal sentence." Jefferson flinched at the sight of the hooded figure carrying an enormous axe in the corner of the room. "Option two, the figurative sentence: The thief shall give his hands to you by the exchange of vows. Either way, he can no longer attempt to touch or take what is not his again." 

Jefferson watched the proceeding conversation with the most confounded expression upon his face. He’d heard tale of this guy’s literal or figurative sentences before, but this! What did he mean by vows? Marriage!? “Um! Hello? Do I get to defend myself? I haven’t gotten to state my opinion. My case… Can I have a lawyer?”

Bertilak turned a green eye on Jefferson. “No. I am the law here.” His attention went immediately back to Emma. “We have swift justice here. Please decide, Princess. The axe will be sharpened now and will be ready tonight after the thief spends some time in bowels of the castle reflecting over his crime." Bertilak waved the hooded axe-man away to go sharpen the axe.

“Holy hell,” Jefferson muttered to himself as he looked in panic at Emma. Which would she choose? What if she let her ‘worse than the Dark One’ side out and unleashed it upon him? Or what if his hands had to be stitched back on like his head had been in Wonderland? Does one get 'mad-hands?' What would Grace say?

He’d been biting his lip so furiously, he tasted blood. Eyes darted back and forth. He needed to run. Get the hell out. Couldn’t Emma magic him out of this mess? Didn’t she care about him? Didn't she love him? What about that amulet they came here for? 

 

Emma

_Fuck,_ Emma thought. Bertilak didn’t give her the time she needed to come up with a plan. She had no other choice than play along. Lost in thoughts what to do best she missed Jefferson’s attempt to catch her attention, even when he stepped onto her dress. Much too quickly for her taste the king started to explain what would happen to Jeff.

_Fuck, fuck!_ She wished she could have said it loud. This wasn’t good at all. She was the one to choose a fate for Jeff? _Ugh… I’d say he doesn’t like both options. What to do..._ Emma tried to think of something. She remembered the dreamberries that were still in Jeff’s coat. No chance to get them and use them. What else… Magic? Very likely. Emma looked inconspicuously. Too many knights, and too many folk, and especially too much of a giant king who had magic. Probably powerful magic. No magic. At least not now. _What to do..._ Emma could neither allow that Jeff’s hands were cut off nor that he wouldn’t be able to touch anything that wasn’t his. He needed to steal the amulet, and maybe other things.

Jefferson gave her a short moment to think of something by asking for a lawyer, but the king was quick in shutting him up. It was now up to her. An idea started to come up, maybe...

She took a deep breath, and looked at the king. “I choose option number two, but with a slight adjustment, if your majesty would agree, to fulfill my selfish wish. Allow me to explain…” Emma made a deep courtesy so her request was respectful enough and didn’t sound like an order. 

The Green Knight seemed to be intrigued. “Go on.”

“You’re too kind, your majesty.” Emma bowed her head slightly. “What you don’t know yet, your majesty, is that this ‘thief’ followed me ever since I left my parent’s kingdom. But it was not before the path of my travel companions and mine parted that this man was able to get near me.” Emma made a break, giving Jefferson a chiding look. “It is true that he attempted to touch me inappropriately, but he…” Emma’s cheeks started to blush when she used her magic to do so, and smiled shyly. 

“Your majesty, what I’m trying to say is that his man is lovelorn. Because of me. I admit when he neared himself my person, I was scared, but he confessed he’d love me so deeply, he couldn’t sleep anymore. Maybe he was a bit too… enthusiastic when he was so close to me. Luckily you saved me in time.” Emma bowed her thanks this time.

“I would never strive against your law, and especially not your orders, my king. What he did is unforgivable, and if it hadn’t been for you… well, you know. But I also see he is not a normal ‘thief’. He is sick. Mad of love. And he must be punished.”

Emma paused to check on the Bertilak and Jefferson’s mood. Both were staring at her. The king with interest, the hatter with narrowed eyes. Emma continued.

“You kindly allowed me to explain myself, and now I ask you most humbly to fulfill my most selfish wish. Please let us exchange vows, but use your magic and restrict the part that says’ he can no longer attempt to touch or take what is not his again’ to my person only. Furthermore I ask you to keep him as my servant as long as I wish.”

Emma saw that the king considered her words, but was not ready to give in yet. “Think about it, your majesty. What would be more painful for a lovelone thief to see the subject of his lust every day and night, but is unable to ever touch it?”

Emma was focused on the king, giving him a cunning look. Her request implied a constant torture of Jeff’s mind. She reckoned that was sinister enough for his standards, and hopefully might work for him. If not… well, she hoped it wouldn’t come down to that. 

_Jefferson_

As Emma explained her desire for Jefferson's fate, Jefferson could do not much more than gawk at her. His expression ranged from a narrow eyed 'what the fuck?' to a slack-jawed, open mouthed expression of 'are you insane?' once he understood what she was requesting.

Apparently, he was getting a taste of her 'worse than the Dark One side.'

Bertilak crossed his armored arms over his chest as he watched Emma state her choice. Option two but with her own twist to it. After a moment of silence to process what she wanted, a low and building chuckle emanated from his chest. He threw his head back and laughed louder causing a nervous laugh mimicked by on lookers in the court. "My axe's thirst for blood shall go unsated this day, it seems." Dropping his arms he gestured to Emma. "You have a dark mind, Princess, however, your request is unusual, I must say. You wish the thief to be your servant in body without the ability to appreciate, in order to torture his mind? Very dark indeed."

He raised an arm to the guards who took their cue to act. Rushing forward, they grabbed Jefferson beneath his arms and brought him forward to Emma and Bertilak. Jefferson, meanwhile, kept quiet as he was at a complete loss for words. He could barely look at Emma as the giant king was staring down at him.

"To the dungeon with you, Thief, until arrangements are made for this evening." Holding out his hand, one of the king's men placed the rope lead which binded Jefferson's wrists together into their king's waiting hand. "As requested, Princess, you may take him to the dungeon. One of my knights will escort you on the way there." He shifted in his armor causing a metallic scraping noise of adjusting breastplate and offered it to Emma.

Dungeon. Weird wedding. No touching. Servant. All of these things were racing through Jefferson's mind as he attempted and failed to figure out how he was going to get out of all of these things. And also, seriously, what the hell was Emma thinking of requesting him not to be able to touch her? Did she not enjoy what he could do with his hands? He was certain she did. But he couldn't ask, as much as the question was threatening to be spoken from his tongue.

Bertilak, observing the mannerisms of the thief, and how very carefully he was not looking at the Princess, had a doubt. The king's eyes shifted to look at the Princess and the way she was reacting to each action as well. For now, he was merely observing. Originally, he had expected to entrap the princess when she chose option two, but her added condition ended any assumption he would have had that she'd been deceiving him, for why would a woman threatened as she had been choose option two otherwise?

"Escort them to the dungeon, Sir Rakisept." Bertilak left the room then to leave his trusted knight to the task. Rakisept gestured towards a doorway that would lead to the bowels of the castle.

Jefferson then, finally, sent a questioning look Emma's way wondering if she had deceived him all along.

Emma

Emma smiled hearing Bertilak complimenting her about her dark mind. “Thank you, your majesty. Allow me to explain that as well,” she was now referring to her request, and continued after Bertilak had given his approval.

“Someone taught me that torturing a mind is on long terms more effective than torturing a body. If I had chosen the first option he would have experienced some pain, and lost his hands. Well, I have to admit it’s not enjoyable having no hands, but we both know there are ways to _reattach_ them, right?” Emma gave him a wink. “So, his punishment would have been a bit of pain, and scars left on his wrist.” She shrug her shoulders. “Until next time when he’d try again. But…” Emma gave a short look at Jeff before she focused on the king again. “...Torturing a mind is more effective. It can change someone into someone new, or he can go insane. Whatever we like to do, it’s permanent and it will never get better again.” She grinned at Bertilak before she said, “And who would force a princess to stay married to a mad man? No one. Isn’t that exciting, your majesty?” Another deep curtsy rounded her speech, and Bertilak made her a present; as requested.

Emma took the rope. “Thank you so much, your majesty.” She gave the rope a firm pull that dragged Jeff forwards. “You heard the king, thief. Let’s visit your new home.” Emma nodded at Bertilak when he told her a knight would escort her, and watched the Green Knight leave. She followed Sir Rakisept (what a strange name, Emma thought) down to the dungeon vaults, pulling Jeff with her.

She had seen Jefferson’s questioning look. She could imagine he would be angry, full of questions and probably _mad_ with her, but the acute danger was averted, and with only one guard it would be easier to escape. Provided, Emma planned to escape. She had in the beginning, but she felt some… satisfaction having Jeff under her control. She could do with him whatever she wanted. And Emma liked that feeling. Power, no matter if it was magical or not, aroused her. Maybe it wasn’t a bad idea to stay a bit, and pay Jeff back. Emma smirked. Their little game was still on.

~~

It took a while until Sir Rakisept stopped before an empty cell. Well, every cells in this area were empty as Emma had seen so far. Except from the guard they were alone. He opened the door, and Emma led Jeff in. She looked around. Nothing was here aside from a pile of straw and a strong stone ring that was attached on the wall. “I think your new home is appropriate, thief.” Speaking loud enough so the guard could hear every word, she now gave Jeff a wink. “I think I need to rest now. Guard!”

Emma tied the end of the rope she was holding in her hand to the stone ring. Tight enough so Jeff couldn’t sit down or move away from the wall more than one step. “I think you can untie yourself. I didn’t want the rope to become dirty.“ Saying that Emma left, and the guard snickered before he locked the door, and led the way for Emma out of the dungeon.

Jefferson 

Jefferson had followed behind Emma glaring at her most of the way. How could she? She was enjoying this, clearly. The look he gave her promised retribution. He didn’t know how he would do it, but somehow, he was going to pay her back for this tenfold.

The dungeon was rank in mildew and stale air. It was mostly dark save for some light that filtered in from a series of small holes in the upper parts of the stone wall and some on the floor with small trenches leading out... likely for water to flow out of, he assumed. Thankfully, it was rather empty of other prisoners. He wouldn’t have to smell the added reek of feces and body odor dungeons may have. Jefferson didn’t know from personal experience having never been imprisoned in a dungeon before.

He had, however, been imprisoned in a room, by himself, and with the task to make a hat and to ‘get it to work.‘ The idea of having to stand with nothing to do but wait was not something the anxious man anticipated.

Now, with a bitter glare to his eye, he watched Emma fit the rope through the metal ring in the wall. And tightly. He yanked on the rope through use of the rest of his arms since his hands were still completely without feeling. Now, he had nothing to do until the evening came, as Bertilak had said.

He didn’t want to speak to Emma. She winked at him, but she was taunting him, simultaneously insulting him, and suggesting cruel things which she evidently saw that he deserved. Then, she had the nerve to tell him he could simply untie himself when she knew damn well he couldn’t feel his hands.

“Until this evening, Fiancée.” The tone he used was quite dark itself as he watched her and the guard leaving him behind, standing and thoroughly pissed off.

Emma

Feeling slightly guilty she might have played him a bit too… harsh, Emma made a gesture with her hand while walking behind the guard, who suddenly froze in time. Kill the guard or have sex with Jeff? Emma decided the last option was the better one. Maybe she would kill the guard when she returned to him. Right now it was Jeff she wished to see. Uh, he would be mad at her, but Emma didn’t care much. They depended on each other, and a bit teasing never hurt anyone. Maybe. She was about to find out.

Walking back to Jeff’s cell, she stayed in the shadow for a moment, watching him, then stepped to the door, and opened it. “Not until this evening, love.” She walked over to him, feeling this _desire_ to rip off his clothes, and… “Wow, it’s quite hot in here!” Emma’s heart beat faster. Seeing him tied to the wall was arousing her in a way she never felt before. She just had to be near him, and her appetite to touch him, kiss him was almost overwhelming. And since they were alone now… 

She couldn’t open her bodice quick enough, and it landed on the floor. Her dress followed, and Emma stood before him, her bare breasts only inches away from him, luring him with two puffy nipples.

Her hands stroke over his cheeks, down his neck and vanished under his shirt. “I know you’re probably mad at me, but I had to convince the Green Knight that I was serious.”

She pulled him closer and tried to kiss him while her hands appeared again, finding a way under his pants now.

“Tell me to untie you, and I do it. But… if you want to have a bit of fun before, then tell me to go on.” Her mouth was close to his ear, her hips stroke his numb hands while she was whispering into his ear.

Jefferson 

Much sooner than he had expected, Emma was back, and this time alone. There was no sound from without the cells so he had no idea what happened to the guard. Probably dead, lucky son of a bitch. 

Jefferson passed a cool eye towards Emma as she strolled in casually. He was still not at all amused by her attitude as he was left to suffer in more ways than one. 

As she quickly stripped her clothes to reveal her body to him, he tried very hard to keep a blank expression, but his eyes still roamed down her curves. One eyebrow raised unable to keep completely emotionless. He was still very angry, after all. 

And as she neared him, touching his face, his neck and slipped her hands into his shirt, he held his breath, but kept his eyes on her, watching her. 

"You could act like you aren't enjoying this," he added sullenly to her attempt at convincing him she had said all of those things to the Green Knight for their benefit.

Her hands moved to his leather trousers as her lips found his, but he kissed her back roughly. He was still mostly angry. 

Unable to resist the way her hands were enticing him, his hips moved towards her seeking hand. He had no idea his hands were touching her hips as he wasn't looking that way, rather his eyes had moved to look at the dark ceiling as her breath touched his ear. "I won't. I'm not here for your amusement." ...though, it very much felt as if he was.

Despite his attempts to resist her groping, she was stirring his interest in bodily reactions, driving him mad with a need to grab her, but he couldn't, bound as he was. He could feel what she was doing to him. Groaning to himself, he stepped forward shouldering Emma roughly towards the ring where the rope was tied so that her back would be pressed against it. His own body pressing her into the stone. He hoped it was cold on her skin. Speaking quietly, he said over her ear, "I suppose you expect me to thank you for not choosing option one?"

Emma

“Why should I lie? I actually do enjoy this, and don’t tell me a part of you doesn’t as well. And you damn well know I had little choice.” Emma felt much too aroused by having him defenseless and alone in a dungeon. She knew he was angry, but she had hoped her charme would be enough to forgive her; at least for the moment.

“You’re angry with me”, she stated disappointed, and gasped when he pressed her against the cold stone. “I can still choose option one if that’s what you like better. Just say so.” 

She couldn’t work on him properly so she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her face buried in his neck, she started to place sweet little kisses on his scar.  
“You know, you deserved a little bit of… punishment after all your glorious tales about seducing all these beautiful, and mostly chaste _chicks_. Emma laid her head onto his chest. A snap with her fingers removed the rope around Jeff’s hands. “I’d like to have you tied against the bars…”

Jefferson 

Why the hell would he want his hands chopped off for touching what he very well thought was his? He figured she was being sarcastic, but he most definitely was not going to thank her. All he wanted was for her to have used her magic, something he felt as if he was always trying to get her to do, and she hadn't. Now they were in a rat-infested dungeon (if that squeak he'd heard was in fact a rat), and still in this damn realm.

Angry with her? she asks. "How did you guess?" He could be sarcastic as well. Yet, with her arms around his neck, her head on his shoulder, kissing the scar that was a shameful reminder of poor choices he'd made, he shivered in reaction to her tenderness.

A moment later, his hands suddenly felt her skin pressed against them. He could feel again! Realizing the rope had fallen away, Jefferson took a deep breath and tentatively placed his hands on her bare hips. Never again should he take advantage of how soft her skin felt, or the sensation of wiggling his fingers lightly as he moved his hands up her back.

She was mentioning those women he'd slept with decades ago and for a moment, the reason was completely lost on him. What did they matter now? Nothing at all to him. They hadn't mattered to him then either. Just a means to getting what he wanted. Was she... jealous?

Blinking at the thought, he couldn't understand why. He didn't care that she'd been with Hook... Oh. But he had. It was exactly why he'd stopped communicating with her years ago.

His fingers curled into fists against her back when she said she'd see him tied up again, or rather have him against the bars. Her hair was touching his hands - he could feel that for certain - and took the opportunity to twine a tendril of hair around his index finger. "Against the bars?" And then he tugged on the tendril so that her head should be tilted back. Bending at the knees just enough, his mouth met her neck as he simultaneously ran his lips along the skin, not kissing it, and speaking. "Was there any truth to what you said? You want to torment my mind? Cause insanity? Is that the side of me that you want? The Mad Hatter?" The Hatter was full of loss and desperation. It was a side of himself that he didn't like, but was still there as she said. He was both the Hatter and Jefferson and in his worst moments, the division was blurred.

He'd won back his daughter through hard work and a lot of other poor choices fueled by the Hatter's desperation, but he had won. What did Emma think she could possibly do to him that hadn't already been done to him? He'd already gone thoroughly mad before and learned to suppress the urge. Mostly.

Tightening his arms around her waist, he lifted her up and carried her to the bars pressing her into them. There was a low, laugh in his throat as his eyes bored into hers. "Because the damage has already been done long ago. But you're right in a way. It's quite permanent. The Hatter didn't go away."

Setting her on her feet, his hands moved from her back, across her ribs and up to cup her breasts. "Much, much better to have hands, don't you think?" Bending his knees again, he took one breast into his mouth, sucking briefly on the pert nipple while his other hand gently pinched the other, then backed off with a pop as his mouth broke contact, but his hands remained on her. "Here are the bars. Are you sure you want me to be without feeling again?"

Emma

“Oh, sarcasm doesn’t suit you.” Emma purred. “So, how does it feel to be able to _feel_ something again? And yes, against the bars,” she confirmed.   
Jeff used her hair to make her look at him. Jeff was becoming dark by now. Emma didn’t want to admit it, but she felt excitement and tension, plus his lips running along her skin made it even more intense.

Emma’s lips were near his ear, and she whispered back, trying not to moan of pleasure as the aura of danger he was emitting gave her goosebumps and set adrenaline free.   
“The madness is a part of you, I am aware of that, and I would lie if I don’t like to play with the fire.” Jeff suddenly lifted her up, and pinned her to the bars.

Emma gasped, but welcomed the the coolness of the metal. She stretched her neck so her lips were touching his ear lobe now as she continued speaking. “I hope you’re not serious asking me this. Otherwise you don’t know me at all.” She decided to leave her answer open and for him to decide what she meant. He was still angry, she got that, but if he really believed she wanted to torment his mind… she’d be pissed like hell.

But for now she only wanted one thing, and that was cooling down her desire for mating with Jeff. The cold stone in her back had done some work, but she still felt this strong desire either to kill someone or having sex. Small pearls of sweat had appeared on her body, and she felt like having a fever without feeling sick.

Jeff set her down. His hands on her body and breast began to drive her insane. Almost. “Yes, you have magical hands, and so magical lips,” she admitted, and couldn’t hold back a moaning when Jeff sucked on one nipple, and pinched the other. “But I have magical hands too.” With another snap of her fingers she left him naked as she was. Jeff made a step back, but was still touching her. _This fucking bastard,_ Emma thought and had to smirk. “I think, I like the bars in my back while you do the work.” She lifted her arms, grabbing the bars to her left and right, and arched her back, so her breasts were sticking out a bit more, and she spread her legs slightly.

“I’m all yours. I won’t even refuse if you’d tie me to the bars with that special rope. I trust you!” Emma let her tongue wander over her lips giving him defiant look.

Jefferson 

Perhaps Emma trusted him because she had the magic to stop anything he did to her where as his form of magic was limited to getting her out of Camelot. Two different forms of magic, two different forms of power over the other. He was curious of what constituted trust for her however. Where did it come from? "What did I do to instill your trust in me?" he asked as she arched her body towards him. His eyes roamed her as he felt the urge to press his now bared body to hers, but he had more self-control than that. She had taken his clothes with no more than a snap of her fingers which told him she intended to get her way. Not that he would complain. It would save time. Eventually. But first...

He stepped away from her as she writhed on the bars in her attempt to seduce him. A faint smile at the corners of his mouth was poorly hidden as he turned to look for the rope she had dropped from his wrists. Stepping over mildewed straw with bare feet, he felt even more disgusted by the dungeon, but there was a note of appeal to a stolen moment of fornication in a dungeon. That was certainly something he'd never thought would happen to him.

Jefferson picked up the rope which was still tied in a circle and ran a finger within it. His finger immediately went numb to conclude that it was the closed circle itself that contained the magic. Pulling his finger back, he shook the feeling back into it. "Feeling again is better, I'll admit, but since you're giving me the choice over you..." His voice trailed off as he looked back to Emma. "Put your hands over your head and hold the bars."

The grin he wore widened as he approached. His free hand trailed up her side to her arms to guide them up. Stepping into her space, he pushed her back into the bars with his body finally pressed against hers. He'd wanted to do that and felt a rewarding sensation along his skin at the contact. This puzzled him as well. Every time he touched her, he felt rewarded. It was difficult to resist her with contact. But nevertheless, he kept his eyes on her hands as he twisted the rope around the bars and around her wrists until they were securely tied in place.

Looking down to her face, his expression turned serious as he studied her. What was it about her that drove him this far to lust over her at every touch, to wish to do immoral things with her? He cupped her cheeks, then ran his hands to her neck. So small and fragile. Then his hands went further south as his knee nudged her legs farther apart, one hand delving into her folds to see if she was ready for him. To both tease and please her.

"I should leave you in this dungeon for what you did." His fingers circled and tested as he watched her eyes hoping he could tear her walls down and make her eager for more. "Find the amulet myself and take a willing village woman back with me to Storybrooke. Should be easy enough. You can be the king's consort for all I care with the way you were flirting with him." He was lying through his teeth. He would kill the king himself if he knew he could get away with it. He was making himself angry again at the thought of her with Bertilak and the way she batted her eyes at him while mocking Jefferson. She had made him thoroughly jealous, angry, and eager for the next moment when he could fuck her senseless, to show her she belonged with him, not the king. And she'd given him the opportunity here. "Perhaps you prefer the princess lifestyle after all. You could even be queen." He'd never known Emma Swan to prefer that at all, but with the darkness in her, he realized how the power might appeal to her. Part of him was attracted to that darkness more than he'd ever thought himself capable. It was a part of his reckless younger days brought back fresh and eager again.

Emma

Jeff was trying to figure out what she was up to this time, Emma could sense it. And he was right by asking her the question about trust. Emma was trying him, again. But she also knew she could trust him, no matter what. At least basically. Of course they were playing their little game, but she enjoyed it. And from all she could say, he did as well. At least mostly. He had made her jealous and teased her, and Emma had returned the favor by making him jealous. His reaction told her that she had won this little duel. Now it was time that both of them got their reward for having played an excellent round. She was ready and willing to let him do whatever he wanted to do with her, hoping it would be intense and more than satisfying; for both of them.

But first he deserved an answer. He had backed away from her so she couldn’t whisper in his ear anymore, and she didn’t want to change her position. His eyes were enjoying the view so she answered in a low voice. “True love’s kiss. That’s all I need to trust you. I’m yours, and you’re mine.” Her eyes met his for a moment, and a knowing smile appeared on her lips. “Now, what do you want to do with me?”

He answered her question by picking up the rope like she had suggested. Emma had hoped he would; his decision to get her under his control made the game even more dangerous - and arousing. Whatever it was with Camelot that made her so mad about Jefferson, it became even stronger. More beads of sweat appeared on her body, and her heartbeat increased again. It was only about him and her. 

It felt like an eternity for Emma until he ordered her to put her hands up and hold the bars. She didn’t obey, but she didn’t resist either when he guided her hands up. When he touched her skin it felt like an electric shock, and Emma winced, but didn’t withdraw. Then Jeff stepped closer, pressing her with his body against the bars while he tied her hands to the bars. Emma couldn’t prevent that she began to shift around slightly; her hands tied to the bars, and feeling Jeff’s naked body against her was almost driving her mad. Her skin was tingling everywhere she had contact with him. 

Once he had secured her he caressed her cheeks and neck, only to slide down further. With his knee he spread her legs a bit more, and suddenly his finger tested her readiness for him. Emma gasped, closed her eyes and struggled in her binds. She almost missed Jeff’s words, as the sensation of his fingers in her folds washed everything else away. She wanted more, now! He was torturing her in a way that pleased Emma more than she had thought it would. Normally she simply had taken over by now, but this time it was his turn. 

It was almost impossible, but she needed to focus on him and his words again. She opened her eyes while the movement of his fingers sent hot wave after hot wave through her body. She tried to press against his fingers, feeling him more, but she couldn’t. The bonds didn’t let her. Emma concentrated on his words. So dark again. Emma bit back a smile when Jefferson threatened her to leave her here, and take a willing village woman back to Storybrooke instead of her. Emma wanted to giggle, but his fingers made it a moaning that escaped her mouth. Her heart was racing, and her breathing quickened. He wasn’t finished yet, so Emma decided to let him talk, and enjoyed the incredible feeling of her body that reacted to Jeff’s fingertips.

“You already have a willing _villain_ woman,” she changed one little word in his story. He gave her a hard time to speak, and depending on where his fingers touched her she gasped briefly while she tried to breathe in between. “I don’t need Bertilak to become Queen. I already am Queen. Your Queen.” Emma couldn’t go on talking, as Jeff’s constant movements started to bring her over the edge. But it was too soon, too quick. She wanted to feel him in her. Emma needed all her willpower to fight the upcoming peak, and started to shift back and forth again.

“You’re all I need, all I want. I want the mad hatter to fuck me in ways I have never experienced, and I want Jefferson to do magical things with me. I want both of you. Now. Here. Always. Forever.” She looked deep into his eyes. “So if you want to leave me here… I won’t hold you back. You’re free to go.” Emma knew their bond was strong enough, and their desire for each other far too much for him to go. Jefferson was teasing her, and Emma loved him for that. It would give her another reason to punish him later - in a most… dark and pleasant way.

Whatever in Camelot had made her so addicted to Jeff and wanting to mate with him, Emma liked it.

Jefferson 

Emma's reaction to the tender assault his fingers were plying to her sensitive depths was more than rewarding. With the way she was nearly bucking against the bars, his ego was stoked. It was clear enough she felt the same as he did simply from the presence of the other by her reaction, but her declaration that he was all she needed caused the spark to ignite and burn brilliantly in the way he looked at her. 

The anger he felt melted slowly as he tilted his head trying to understand. She wanted all sides of him; the insecure, desperate side that feared loss and sank into a reactionary and threatening maniac as well as the side that could be gentle and doting, he supposed. Did that include the side of him that was a devoted father? But the things he was doing at the moment to Emma made his mind steer very clear away from what he was in Storybrooke and to focus very clearly on the present moment. And his reaction was very eagerly pressing into Emma.

Jefferson withdrew his fingers and felt a momentary pang of loss himself. She was setting him free, told him he was free to go. He almost shook his head to say he wouldn't, but another side of him wanted to play further into that possibility. To actually leave, to deny himself and her of the rewards of staying and see just how she would react to that. But he was far too into this to stop. He wanted the reward as well.

"As if I could ever be free of you? You'll be ever on my mind teasing and taunting me even if we were apart." His eyes looked to her mouth and he leaned in to barely touch his mouth to hers, to speak lowly against her skin. "You make me madder than the hatter ever was, questioning my own grip on sanity, but never regretting being with you."

Pulling her legs up, he guided himself to her center, knowing she was ready to receive him. With one more glance to her eyes, seeing the beauty in them and how even in her most villainous times he couldn't get enough of her, he pushed in, finally seeking reward. With a staggered breath in the feeling of rightness, he moaned out, "You are my queen," in agreement as his arms wrapped around her back to shield her from striking the bars with each rock of his hips. His mouth sought hers again to kiss her properly with ravishing abandon.

Whatever was to happen, he'd never had any concept of forever until he'd spent twenty eight unchanging years in Storybrooke yearning and pining for things he couldn't have, but wanted desperately. His daughter, the freedom of his hat and the Enchanted Forest. This kind of love had never been part of the equation; he never thought he'd love like this again. Fate had made it all possible. He had almost everything he ever wanted now, provided they survived each other and what was to come.

Emma

His fingers stopped, and he looked surprised. He was probably thinking of really leaving her, but only to see how she’d react. Emma knew if he would leave, he would come back. And he could be sure she would make him pay for it. But like she had anticipated, Jeff didn’t leave.

“I know,” she only answered to his comment about being free. “I’ll be always with you, even if we’d be in different realms.” Feeling his lips so close but yet don’t touch her it felt like a feather stroking over her lips and skin, and his words were sweeter than honey. She whispered back softly, making sure her lips didn’t touch him either but he would sense them. “I’ll make sure you’ll never regret that you chose me.”

Then finally… he invaded her. For a second Emma thought she’d faint, as the feeling of him pushing deep into her caused an explosion of sensations. Too much to handle; almost. She let out a stifled scream, threw her head back against the bars, arched her back, and wrapped her legs around his hips.

He wrapped his arms around her, and Emma was between screaming and moaning, as the feeling of not being able to use her hands, and be at his mercy was so massive. She had never witnessed such intense feelings before, and she felt never so light headed, aroused, and randy. She indeed was his queen. “And you’re my king, always,” she answered.

When Jeff kissed her, she tilted her head forwards, pressing her lips even tighter on his while she invaded his mouth with her tongue. For now she only hoped Jeff needed longer than usual until he’d fill her inside with that wonderful warm substance that would also give him pure satisfaction.

Jefferson 

Everything seemed to be right - the way things should be - except Jefferson realized one thing was off balance. "I want..." Voicing it seemed to be too difficult as he was lost in sensation and driven by basic urges. One hand loosened from the embrace and grappled onto the ropes binding her wrists above their heads. He wanted to be touched.

Pushing blindly at the ropes, as he was too busy kissing Emma to look up, the rope loosened just enough that she should be able to pull her hands free.

The pleasure was building and while he didn't want to rush anything, it was the greatest of strains not to let go. He was happy, and on the verge of satisfaction.

He didn't notice when the startled cry from the entrance to the dungeon signaled that someone had noticed the frozen guard. "What magic is this?" the voice asked in stupefaction as the other was shaken in attempt to wake Rakisept, but to no avail. "The king shall hear of this."

There was a shuffle of metal on stone as the leery guard edged closer at hearing the sounds coming from the cell. Upon sight of flesh against the bars and the prisoner manhandling her, the guard's eyes widened at the scandalous sight. "Princess?!"

Jefferson tore his mouth from Emma's to look beyond the bars in the dim light at the untimely interruption. The guard was beginning to draw his sword. Looking back to Emma, a grave expression was in Jefferson's eyes. If she needed to blame him for accosting her to save herself, he trusted her now. Seizing the last opportunity he might have, he leaned in towards her ear and whispered, "I love you."

The guard fumbled with the key in the lock to open the door.

Emma

Emma was in her own world. She was only focused on the wonderful feeling of Jeff making love to her, and the arousing feeling that she was completely at his mercy until she felt him tugging on the rope that kept her hands in place. It was clear he wanted her to be able to caress him as well, but Emma liked the feeling being restrained. Everything was more intense.

Luckily Jeff didn’t remove it, but only loosened it. It was still snug to her wrists, and she could slip out if she’d try hard enough, but it would probably destroy the moment. She had liked the tight restraint better, but the rope was still holding her. She wanted to explain that she prefered this position at the moment, and she would work on him with her full body next round, but since they were engaged in kissing she couldn’t say anything. She didn’t want to. She concentrated on the lower part of her body again. It wouldn’t take long and she was over the edge…

The word “princess” had the effect of a cold shower on her. Someone was here, someone who didn’t belong here. In the same moment Jeff broke the kiss, looking at something behind her. Or better - someone.

“Fuck,” Emma mumbled, and tried to see what was going on, but she couldn’t turn her head enough to see who was there. Then she remembered the guard she had frozen in time. Someone must have found him. Emma rolled her eyes in annoyance. Wouldn’t they never be undisturbed? Especially now that their passion was boiling and they could have probably have the best sexual release ever?

She locked onto Jeff’s eyes and knew what he tried to tell her. It all depended on her reaction in the next moments, and he had no other choice than trust her. Except that he now whispered in her ear that he’d love her. Okay, he had a choice and he had chosen to trust her. 

There were only two options for Emma how to get out of this misery. Either kill the guard, what was probably the best solution, or let him believe the prisoner had somehow overwhelmed her, and had abused her. Emma tried to free her hands. The rope was tighter than it had felt in the moment Jeff had loosened it, and time was running out when the guard unlocked the cell door and entered. Emma had no other choice. 

“Please, help me!” she cried, trying to sob a bit so the guard would think she wasn’t tied to the bars by her own choice. “He… he must have cast a spell on me and forced me to untie him! He also killed the other guard!” Emma tried to play on time as she was still trying to free her hands.

Jefferson 

Jefferson was still pressed bodily against Emma, her legs still around his waist, and himself still at home within Emma, but the awkwardness in having an audience, and a threatening one at that with the sword pointing at him and Emma’s declaration that he’d attacked her again and killed a guard (is that what Emma had done to the other guard?), which immediately quelled any further advances.

He moved his hands from Emma’s back to glide along her thighs to gently push her legs down from his waist so that he could back away. He was meant to look the villain here. How funny was that? He’d switched roles with the Dark Swan?

Once disentangled, Jefferson laughed quietly. He was the villain in this story. Did Emma see the humor in it as well? Maybe it wasn’t so far fetched after all. Like attracts like. He looked to her face to note the way she was acting as if he’d violated her and saw how she was feigning struggle against the rope he had loosened. Well, that would be to her benefit now so that she wouldn’t look as if she had just been enjoying his vile assault on her with her legs around his hips. He laughed again at how ridiculous it seemed.

The guard didn’t see it as funny at all. He ripped his green cloak off and hurriedly stepped forward to cover Emma. This meant he had to put his sword down to untie her hands. “Stay back! I’m warning you!” the guard threatened.

Jefferson raised his hands, still laughing and found his clothes on the floor where Emma had sent them. He plucked the trousers up and pulled them on. “Don’t worry. I’m not letting her out of my sight. I’m the villain here after all.” His tone was rather dry. He certainly was not going to leave a naked Emma with that man and would see to it that she wasn’t harmed by him.

He grabbed his shirt up and began to put it on as well.

The guard managed to free Emma’s arms and thoroughly wrapped the cloak about her. Jefferson narrowed his eyes to be sure the guards hands stayed where he could see them, then turned a softer look Emma’s way. Are you okay? the look asked.

The guard grabbed his sword again and whirled around with it to point it at Jefferson’s throat. Jefferson’s fingers let go of the laces he was pulling together and held his hands up instead.

“Princess. If you would be so kind, fetch me the rope so that the prisoner can be tied up and taken to the king.”

Jefferson grinned a lopsided smile and shrugged at Emma. What did he have to fear? She had chosen the least painful option of his sentencing after all. How bad could it be...?

Emma

In the first moments her plan seemed to work. The guard didn’t kill Jefferson but focused on her. Emma peered at Jeff who seemed to be amused about her acting. Emma pressed her lips together, and narrowed her eyes slightly when he said he would be the villain here. For a culprit he acted much too careless she thought. She hoped he would understand her warning look. It was important to make the guard believe Emma was his victim, otherwise she’d have to kill everyone in the castle.

She watched him putting his clothes back on while the guard was untying her. Her eyes were still locked onto Jeff’s, and she nodded slightly when he gave her a softer look, understanding what he wanted to ask. Once Emma was free she used the cloak and wrapped it around her tightly, giving the guard a tear-, and grateful look, and thanked him with a purring voice.

“Thank you so much, you saved me from this lecher!” Meanwhile the guard was pointing his sword at Jeff’s throat and asked for the rope. “Of course, my savior,” Emma said, took the rope, and was about to wrap it about the guard’s throat to kill him, when a thundering voice came from the hallway.

“The king is already here!” Emma whirled around, one hand holding the rope, using the other to clutch the cloak. “My king,” she had the presence of mind to greet him and sink into a courtesy.

The guard was as much as surprised as Emma, and let his sword sink to bow. “Your majesty, I just found Captain Rakisept motionless in the hallway, and heard suspicious noises out from the cell. Luckily I was in time to save princess Emma who was... “ the guard blushed, and fell silent. Emma used the moment to finish for him. She managed to sob again briefly before she explained.

“Yes, my king, this brave man came right in time to save me from this thief! As you can see he managed to take off my clothes, and even tied me to the bars to commit fornication.” Emma wiped the back of her hand over her eyes, faking to wipe away some tears. Luckily the king was still on the other side of the bars in the dim hallway and couldn’t see her face in the even darker cell.

The guard nodded eagerly to support Emma’s story and although he hadn’t been there he said “It seems he used magic to seduce the princess, and subdued her!” 

Jefferson 

Lecher? Jefferson pursed his lips at Emma at that name. He was going to remember that for later. He'd show her just how lecherous he could be. He was watching her above the blade at his throat as Emma grabbed the rope as she approached the guard's back. His eyebrows rose a mere fraction in surprise when he saw the look on Emma's face. She was going to kill the guard. So this was how she was going to get them out of here? Jefferson readied himself. A plan of action was coming together. He'd dive to the side to knock the sword out of the way and take it as soon as the rope was around the guard's throat.

That plan quickly came to a halt when the booming voice echoed outside the cell. Jefferson felt as if his stomach was full of lead. Panic raced through him. What to do? Fleeing was at the top of his instincts, but he was boxed in. 

The guard spun around, putting his back to Jefferson which gave him an incredible advantage. Jump the guard! Take the sword! Take it! He was fidgeting too much and hesitated too long because just then, the towering figure of Bertilak came into view. 

Emma was already playing along, curtsying again (goddamn it!) and her explanation to Bertilak gave Jefferson a moment to gather his scattered wits. He was in fact very leery of the Green Knight from stories of the man alone, but perhaps that was to his advantage! He knew about the man before ever seeing him. And what was that about Cora that had caused the giant to falter earlier? Jefferson would have to talk his way out of trouble.

The word 'fornication' met Jefferson's ears, and he coughed slightly at that. The look he turned to Emma said 'we did more than that!' but he turned his eyes away quickly lest he get Emma into as much trouble as himself.

 

Bertilak listened to Princess Emma and his face fell. "Alas, dear Princess. It is my fault that this has happened to you. I should not have allowed you to escort the prisoner here. I was unaware that the amount of magic the thief had was significant enough to disable my guard, much less bewitch you. I shall flog myself publicly according to the law. However," Bertilak loomed over them all which caused Jefferson to lean back slightly in aversion, "The thief shall be subjected to punishment option one instead. He cannot be trusted near you and shall lose his hands!"

Bertilak waved a massive gauntlet-covered hand over the rope in Emma's hand. "Tie up the prisoner again, Princess, and my knight will hold the rope." He snapped a finger and a curved, double-bladed axe appeared in Bertilak's hand. "Ah, here we are. Very sharp, indeed." His green eyes roamed the glinting curves of the steel. "You will wield the blade." His eyes moved from the blade back to Emma. 

 

Jefferson eyed the doorway just past Emma and Bertilak. Panic was starting to set in again. "Uh, you know, I'm well known here, or at least before when Arthur was king. I'm a portal hopper. I can..." Well known as a thief anyway, but maybe Bertilak didn't know who he was. But then again, Jefferson was already being convicted as a thief so the point was rather moot.

"Silence!" Bertilak roared in interruption causing some dust to fall from the stone ceiling and rain down upon them all. 

 

Emma

Emma heard the low coughing, and out of the corner of her eyes she caught Jeff’s look. She frowned at him slightly, but paid attention to the king who had entered the cell by now.   
God, did Jeff want to risk losing his manhood too? If losing his hands was the punishment for stealing, what would be the punishment for having sex with her without her consent? It seemed to be obvious, and Emma didn’t want to even think about it.

At least it seemed the king had bought her story. Emma gasped in the right place when the king said something about flogging himself in public, but didn’t interrupt. When Bertilak announced the punishment for Jeff this time she knew they were in trouble. He told her to tie Jeff’s hands up again with the special rope, and Emma thought she had some time to find a way to get them out of here, but Bertilak had other plans. An axe suddenly appeared in his hand that looked freshly sharpened. And it was. “Your majesty,” Emma began, while she was busy tying up Jeff’s hands together again as ordered, but Bertilak wasn’t finished. 

Emma’s eyes widened when he granted her the honor to cut Jeff’s hands off. She was speechless for a moment, and grabbed the handle tight when the king put it in her hands.  
She stared at the sharp blades, then at the king and finally at Jeff. He didn’t look very confident, and started to talk. About who he was! Thankfully Bertilak shut him up before he could reveal more, although giving away he was a portal hopper was more than enough. 

Emma removed some dust from her hair after the king had almost collapsed the dungeon with his voice. 

Her eyes met Jeff’s. He looked shocked, and was probably thinking about fleeing, but the guard held the rope Emma had tied him up with. He couldn’t escape. Emma turned the axe in her hands, and tried to lift it. It wasn’t heavy, and she could bring it up above her head without a problem, but she needed time. 

“Thank you so much for giving me the honor, your majesty. You’re absolutely right, for this new crime his hands must be chopped off. I just fear...the axe too heavy for me to lift my king, I think I need another axe, a smaller one.” She was about to give it back to him, but the king only laid his paw above her hand, secured her grip, and stepped behind her. 

“No worries, my princess, I’ll help you guiding it.” He put his other paw on her shoulder, and lifted the axe together with her, aiming to the right side of the rope at Jefferson’s wrists so he would experience the pain, but it was probably custom here.

Emma couldn’t do anything. Bertilak was guiding her, and Emma gave Jeff an apologizing look before she felt the axe whoosh down, hitting exactly the place Bertilak had aimed at.  
There was a faint light reflection on the blade before it cut off Jeff’s hands that dropped to the ground. Emma let go of the axe and stared at Jefferson.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some accidental magic causes Emma to meet the Mad Hatter. Jefferson finds himself in a place of nightmares. Again.

Jefferson 

Breathing was difficult. This was happening way too quickly and Jefferson's hurried attempt at talking his way out of this situation didn't work. Explaining he was a portal jumper wasn't enough.

As Emma tied his wrists together, Jefferson could tell she would see the panic in his eyes as he looked between her and Bertilak. Why wasn't she doing anything to stop the Green Knight? He wondered and pulled at the shoulders since once again he couldn't feel his hands, but the guard holding on merely pulled back.

"I can take you to a land where your daughter is! She is yours, isn't she? With Cora? She's a powerful witch."

Bertilak seemed to be ignoring Jefferson, so he tried again as the giant placed himself behind Emma to guide her ability in handling the axe.

"Her name is Zelena! She travels realms too." Jefferson was becoming more nervous at this and kicked his foot out at Emma's shin eyeing her with a look of Help me! "I know you're from Wonderland! You've been beheaded before and survived it!" he shrieked just as the axe was swung downwards.

Jefferson squeezed his eyes shut, but opened them a second later at the silence. He assumed nothing happened as he felt no pain of having his hands removed and looked at the clean blade sitting in the straw to the side, but avoided looking at his own fate.

His heart was hammering in his chest. This was all too reminiscent of Wonderland. The axe sailed towards his neck and he squeezed his eyes shut to not feel the intense yet quick pain of death, but felt that his hair was being pulled. His body on the floor. But no other pain, but the horror of having one's body separated from the head! And the victory of finding himself still alive! Still a chance to get home to Grace!

Now, he didn't want to look. Didn't want the horror of amputation again and he was starting to see spots float before his vision. "Emma?" he asked just before his eyes rolled up and he fell backwards into the straw.

 

Bertilak sighed as he set the axe down, his hand still over the Princess's on the handle. This news of a daughter with Cora came at a shock. A powerful daughter at that? That would cause competition and the monarch was unsure if he wanted any of that.

When the portal jumper fainted in the straw, Bertilak shifted uncomfortably as he glanced to the Princess. "I am not from Wonderland," he said almost with embarrassment, but there would be no mistaking the lie in the statement. Cora had sent her axeman after him to behead him and Bertilak repaid the favor to the man the next day and left the realm immediately after. Whether or not he was Zelena's sire, he didn't know.

But as the axe traveled downwards to strike the target, the thief's words sent a magical pulse through the axe from Bertilak. A glimmer of light reflected on the blade so that the mirror image within the blade would take the impact of the strike. In another universe within the reflection, the thief's hands were taken. But the thief in front of he and the Princess would remain unscathed. A trick of the light. Why the man had fainted, Bertilak didn't know. Until he peered closer and saw the scar ringing his neck. He knew the madness associated with having one's head removed.

Understanding dawned on Bertilak then. This thief had seen this blade before in Wonderland. He suddenly felt very much played the fool.

"He called you Emma. Why? Do you know each other, Princess?" Bertilak's hand squeezed Emma's tighter upon the handle. His expression gave no impression of his intention.

The guard stood awkwardly nearby with the circlet of rope in his hand after it had fallen off of Jefferson's with the faint.

Emma

Jeff had tried to escape his fate with giving information about a possible heir of Bertilak. If the situation hadn’t been so desperate for him Emma would have laughed. The wicked witch of the west the daughter of Shrek? It would fit. Exactly like it would fit that he had been in Wonderland as well. His eyes were pleading for help, but Emma couldn’t stop Bertilak without using magic, and didn’t Jefferson said he was a powerful magician? She wouldn’t have a chance against him and his followers on her own. 

Okay, Jeff would be quite pissed if he’d lose his hands, but they would be reattached. Like his head. He wouldn’t die, and neither would she. She had also hoped to have more time, but Bertilak seemed to be in a rush to punish the thief. There was little Emma could do, and it wouldn’t be helpful at all.

The Green Knight didn’t even listen to Jeff as it seemed. He swung the axe, forcing Emma to be a part of the enforcement, and Emma would always remember the way Jefferson had said her name. She blinked. She had seen the hands falling off his hands, but they were still in place. Jefferson fainted, and Emma sighed in relief.

To her surprise Bertilak seemed to have listened to Jefferson, and Emma wondered why he tried to explain himself to her. It wasn’t her business what happened in Wonderland, she was more interested in the fact that the sharp axe didn’t cut off his hands. Do distract him also from Jefferson (as he was giving him a closer look now, and didn’t let go of her) she decided to ask about what had just happened. “His hands… why does he still have them? They should be lying around here!” But Bertilak didn’t offer her any explanation. Instead he seemed to realize something with Emma’s story and her relationship with Jefferson was wrong.

She felt his mistrust even more when he squeezed her hands tighter either to express his anger or because he didn’t want Emma to get away. Or both. She closed her eyes for a moment and grimaced. _Perfect. Now he’s suspicious. Thanks Jeff._ Why did he, a thief, called her by her, a princess, by her first name. Actually, an excellent question she should direct to Bertilak.

She chose her words carefully, as she didn’t want to lie to the the king. Not because she was afraid, but there was one thing Emma had learned in the past during her time as bounty hunter - never lie until you have a really good story. She should have thought of that earlier when the king had found her and Jeff, but there had been no time left. Now it was already coming back to her. So all she could try was to answer the king’s question as truthfully as possible but still keep the story up.

“He probably called me ‘Emma’ because that is my name, your majesty. Although I think he forgot to add my title in his panic of being ‘behanded’.” Emma just made up the word, but being (hopefully) funny in a situation the king was setting pressure on her might show she didn’t lie. Or not. Emma had to try. She shrug her shoulders. “He, a thief, also called me, a princess, by my name probably because he thought now that he had me, I’d be his property. What insolence!” She tried to sound scandalized before she went on answering his second question.

“And yes, we know each other, your majesty. As I told you before this voluptuary was following me for a long time. Although ‘know each other’ might not fit the essence of it. There is ‘knowing’ and ‘knowing’, but… I’m sure you understand what I mean.” This was a part she couldn’t remember well. What did she tell him exactly when she came up with the story? So much for ‘don’t lie until you have a good story’. Fuck.

Emma sighed inwardly. Did she really try to talk herself out of it? Jeff’s ability of fine rhetoric seemed to have rubbed off on her. On the other hand - Emma didn’t have another choice. Jeff was out, and she couldn’t use her magic to render the king and his guard harmless and get out of here with the dead weight of an unconscious hatter. No matter if the king believed her or not, she could only try to use words… and maybe her charms to dispel his doubts. Jeff had really chosen the most inconvenient moment to have a nap.

Jefferson 

_In Wonderland:_

With a flash of light, magic occurred, even if by mistake. The blade was fashioned in Wonderland, and when charged with magic, had the ability to switch the individual caught in the reflection. This was the case for Jefferson. As the blade caught sight of him, the light flashed quickly and Jefferson was instantly switched with his reflection thus sending his reflection, the Hatter, into the dungeon.

The Queen of Hearts’ axe swung toward his throat severing his head from his body. “I’m alive!” he had shrieked in utter confusion, horror, and relief. What happened after he agreed to make a magic hat was the result of other formerly beheaded citizens of Wonderland stitching his head back on until a pop sent sensation and feeling back through his body.

The memory caused Jefferson’s heart to race in panic and fear. Not again! He wanted to yell, to yank his hands back away from the axe blade, but he couldn’t feel them and the guard’s grip on the rope was not budging.

He thought he felt a tingle of something strike him and he looked down to see that his hands had fallen to the straw ground. His mouth opened but no sound emitted. He was in total shock. Not again! Not again! He couldn’t feel it such as was the magic of that blade. He hadn’t felt when his head was cut off years ago either. But the empty ends of his arms was proof enough. It happened again.

A sound of horror emitted from his throat as he looked at the blade then. He could see a reflection in it, but it was not of himself looking directly back in a mirror image. Or rather, he saw himself, but he was laying flat out on the straw. Fainted, Reason said. The image was off. Not right. He was here, but also there, and different?

In the reflection, he saw Emma being held by the hand by Bertilak. There was no sound from the blade’s reflection, however. He couldn’t hear what Emma was saying, but he could see the prim and proper expression she was wearing. She was trying to talk her way out of whatever was going on there.

Turning his confusion towards those in front of him, expecting to see Emma and Bertilak, but what he saw was completely different and even more confusing. He was surrounded by a multitude of people, each with vibrant red scars ringing their throats and thread stitches which clearly held their heads on. It was as if he’d been transported to his past! He remembered this! But… But… why are his hands missing now? And why the hell was he wearing this voluminous orange shirt… again? He hadn’t seen that shirt since… “Oh gods,” he croaked. “What… what happened? What’s happening?” He heard the stammer in his voice and again noticed his hands sitting on the floor. Still no pain. So odd and unattached feeling.

The knave - that’s who this man was in front of him - tilted his head to the side to see the reflection in the blade as well noting how different it was. Then the smug little twerp looked back to Jefferson. His eyes fell to Jefferson’s throat to see the raw scar was gone to be replaced with a pink ring of an old injury. “Ah. It seems you and yourself have switched places, Hatter. How unfortunate for you. We had just finished stitching your head back on. Now we’ll have to do the hands. You cannot make a portal hat for the Queen without your hands. The extra thread is going to cost you, Hatter.”

“My name is Jefferson,” he corrected, but the knave was no longer listening as there was a bustle of motion to find more thread. Several of the strange people were so mad, it would take them ages to find what they were looking for, he remembered. This was going to be more agonizing, because Jefferson was now sane. Or at least... he’d been mostly sane for the past thirty plus years! He’d been dropped back into his mad past.

Shaking his head, Jefferson tried to understand, but he did. He wanted to deny understanding what happened, but things were starting to make sense. He wasn’t standing in the same dungeon as before. The colors were brighter, more saturated in the sickening way of Wonderland. There was a window and he could see the pink sky beyond. He’d spent enough time in Wonderland that his brain recognized the sky even if he wanted to deny what happened. He’d been behanded and sent to a different realm all in one flicker of light. And what the hell was his Emma going to do with that version of himself?

He looked back at the blade and saw his past self, because that’s all he could imagine when he noticed the bright red scar ringing the throat of the man just sitting up from the floor. And with both hands still attached.

\--

_In Camelot:_

The Hatter sat up suddenly, grabbed his throat and cried in relief. His fingers felt the sensitive skin there tender from a recent beheading and even more recent stitching back on, but no ugly red thread. It was almost as if it had healed immediately!He'd only had to wait ages to have control over his own body again as the maniacs in the castle scrambled about trying to find the magical thread of reattachment. “I’m alive!” he cried with a laugh.

Standing quickly from the floor, he noticed he was missing several articles of clothing. When had that happened? Did it matter? He had his body back and under control! But the blade was still there and it made him nervous. Not again! He was not going to be struck again.

Bertilak was raising his free arm preparing to strike the Princess when the thief sat up and ranted madness. Of course he was alive. He didn't have a death sentence. But Bertilak didn't have the opportunity to speak.

Now that he was full bodied, Jefferson jumped up and ran at the green giant. Was this the fabled Green Knight from Wonderland he’d heard whispers about? Though the giant was twice his size, he had managed to catch him with the element of surprise. The massive hand covering the woman’s, whoever she was, was knocked off and Hatter struck the wall off balance and reeling. Why was the woman covered in a cloak? Who cares! “Come on!” he said urgently, before the giant could regroup, and reached for her arm, ready to run. She looked out of place and he would bet she didn’t belong there. “Door is opened. Time to run! The queen will come! We have to run!”

Whether she would follow or not, Hatter was running. He noticed belatedly, he was barefoot as well. “My shoes?” But there was no time to waste. The bellow from behind him was already demanding he come back and a pebble from the ceiling fell to strike him on top of the head. “Like hell!” he shrieked and laughed as he rubbed the abused spot on his head. How was he free? He was supposed to be making hats at the moment. Hats for Grace, hats for the queen, hats for freedom. He simply had to get it to work! Yet he was in a dungeon, and barefoot, in different clothes.

He ran past a doorway. That door was opened too. “Come, run. We’ll escape. Find the mirror, get back to my Grace. Two in, two out. Wait!” He skidded to a halt remembering something. Clutching the woman’s shoulders, he shook her briefly with desperation. “She left me here! The evil queen! The door is closed! I’m trapped!” Panic was evident in his eyes as he looked around, entirely uncertain of where he actually was. “Where the hell am I? This isn’t Wonderland…” Yet, that didn’t entirely matter either. He had to get out of this castle. Outside. Then he could see what had happened and where he might be.

Emma

He didn’t buy it. Not this time. Emma lifted her free hand to defend herself when the Green Knight was about to hit her, but both were distracted by a cry. Emma stared at Jefferson who seemed to have gone mad. “What the hell is he up to now,” Emma mumbled, and her eyes widened when Jeff suddenly knocked the hand of the king away. Emma was free - and both were in a lot of trouble by now.

Jeff didn’t waste time, grabbed Emma by her arm and told her to run. She didn’t think twice, and began to run; at least until Jefferson shouted something about “the queen will come”. Emma stopped again, and stared at his fleeing shape. “What queen?” she shouted after him, but remembered in time to better ask questions later and run. Since the cloak wasn’t helpful Emma quickly waved her hands and a second later she wore her dress again.

“Jeff!” She shouted after him, and got moving right in time. When she passed the cell door, she used her magic another time to lock the door. It would buy a few seconds of time. Hopefully. She ran after him, and managed to catch up, but bumped almost into him when he suddenly stopped, and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. And he was babbling complete nonsense.

“What the hell is wrong with you!” Emma yelled at him, and took him by his arm. “We need to run!” She tried to drag him forward, but instead of following her he ask where he was and stated this was not Wonderland. And then he moved again. Emma decided to punch him later, after they had found a way out of the castle.

“Guards!” Emma could hear the thundering voice of the king yelling for reinforcement. They couldn’t go back, and there were two tunnels ahead of them. Emma took the left one,   
dragging Jefferson with her. “Don’t make another step!” Emma stopped, hoping Jeff had enough time to react. There were two guards blocking their way, both armed with halberds they were aiming at them. “I don’t have time for that.” Emma flipped her wrist, and within a second the heads of both men were in a strange angle and they fell to the ground. 

“Murder in the castle!” Another voice yelled, and a group of men appeared. Emma looked at Jeff. “We’re surrounded! Fuck!” She assumed the punishment for taking lives wouldn’t be a simple behanding, but beheading. Emma didn’t want to lose her head for real, but she couldn’t kill all! Jeff, if you have any idea how to get out here - now would be a good idea.

Jefferson 

‘What the hell was wrong with him?’ He had no idea how to answer that except that he was lost and inexplicably in a place he wasn’t certain of and in the company of a woman who obviously had magical abilities. His widened eyes looked down her body at the appearance of a new dress. He gulped appreciating the sight of now being able to see how the dress hugged her body much better than the green cloak had. He wasn’t dead yet, he realized at the ability to feel something again! Attractive she was, but, no. Not dying was more important than ogling and they had to run.

She was dragging him down a tunnel and when the guards’ necks twisted at impossible angles, Jefferson had another fleeting moment of the state of his own head. He giggled at the sight but out of nervousness. At least she seemed to need him on her side but why? Perhaps she needed him to get her out. She had said so and was demanding any bright ideas out of him now, but all he could presently think of was magic and getting back to the hat! But where were they? 

Fidgeting, he looked back and forth between the guards before and after them. Something was familiar, however. The crest on the breastplates! The blades they held, too. Was that a middlemist flower? “Oh! Is this Camelot? I know this place!” He carefully wrapped his hand around her wrist daring to touch the magical, neck-snapping woman while watching the guards in front of them and still fighting off the urge to laugh at the mess he had somehow gotten into. There was a fleeting sensation traveling up his arm from the touch and he looked down at the link between them expecting to see ants crawling up his arm. But there were none. Strange...

He had an idea as she asked, but he wasn’t getting left behind. He had too much unfortunate experience with that recently and mad as he may be, he was not a fool. Whispering so that only she would hear him, he said, “We need to go to the west side of the castle. There’s a room. I’ve been there before. Purple door. Can you...?” His eyebrows waggled at her questioning if she could do that sort of magic, his eyes only slightly bloodshot in his exhaustion from the madness of earlier in the stitching room.

Meanwhile, the guards neared raising their weapons and preparing to strike.

Emma

Emma tried to keep an eye on every guard. However, when Jeff suddenly burst out they were in Camelot Emma gave him a questioning look. She seriously began to worry about him by now. Maybe the the behanding thing had caused a trauma? Emma remembered that she had said she loved both versions of Jefferson, but right now a mad hatter was the last she could use. There was still the possibility that Jeff was trying to pay her back and play her, but Emma doubted he would act that way when their lives were in danger. 

She felt his hand wrapping around her wrist, and suddenly she realized some strange things. It was probably the worst moment, but Emma stared at his hair that was suddenly longer and disheveled, and when her eyes traced down his face and landed at his neck, she could see a red line surrounding his throat. A fresh red line. And his strange behavior… this was not her Jefferson, but Emma hadn’t time to think about it. The natter (Emma’s mind had simply mixed the words ‘new’ and ‘hatter’) was whispering to her, saying that he would know how to get out of here.

Emma sighed. Although she hadn’t seen that particular door, she hoped it would be enough to think of it and let magic do the rest. She had no other choice as the guards were coming closer. A few more moments and they would probably impale them.

“Don’t let go,” she said, and waved her hand. They were engulfed in a cloud of magic, and a moment later the hallway and the guards were gone, and a purple door was right in front of them. “This one?” Emma asked to make sure they didn’t enter the wrong room. She would wait for Jefferson to take the lead, and once they’d be out she would have a straight talk.

Jefferson 

He most certainly had no intention of letting go, not wanting to get left behind again by a magical woman. He didn't know this one, but he hoped he wasn't going to get figuratively burned again like Regina had done to him.

The sight of the door caused Jefferson to exhale in relief and nod in answer to her question. His shoulders sagged slightly. The purple door in front of him proved he was right. He was now in Camelot. How had that happened? Wonderland was full of strange and mostly unexplainable oddities, like surviving a beheading, but this transportation without his hat was another. Didn't matter! He was out!

Letting go of the woman's hand, he stepped up to the purple door and ran his hands along the wood surface. There was a catch somewhere, a button, he recalled. It had only been about 10 years since he'd seen it. And beyond the door had been...

His finger found it and depressed the button. A click beyond the door sounded and Jefferson stepped back. His fingers drummed on his thighs nervously. Ten years. Did he really need to see what was beyond that door again? After all this time? No... Maybe he shouldn't. He took another step back, worrying over the fragile threads of his mind threatening to snap again. There were memories of loss beyond that door, things he once had and lost.

The door slowly began to open and at the briefest spark of glittering, golden treasure beyond flashed out into the hallway. Jefferson tensed up.

Beyond the door was the treasure room where he had first met Priscilla, another thief, as she crawled through an open window set on stealing Arthur's treasure. The window was how they escaped the castle running from the guards. Now, he felt as if her ghost would surely be lingering within, a reminder of all the poor decisions he had made. But going in was the only way out of the castle. The only way to survive.

His eyes snapped to the woman that had brought him there. There was no time to waste, he knew and stepped forward to enter the room. "This is the way out, but the guards will know the door has been opened. There's never enough time." He shook his head thinking how he hadn't had enough time with Priscilla either.

Emma

The door opened slowly, and Emma could see a treasure chamber. “What the hell… is that Aladdin’s hidden treasure?” Her mouth opened slightly and became agitated. The amulet she was seeking had to be here too. The man had brought her exactly where she wanted to go. Emma managed to tear her eyes away from the treasure, and from the corner of her eyes she saw that the natter was hesitating to enter.

But almost in the same moment the other Jeff gave her a brief look before he stepped through the door, explaining there would be a way out but the guards would know, and something about not enough time. Emma followed him, and once the door closed behind them she made a gesture with her hand. 

Magic erupted from her hands, hit the fake Jefferson, and ropes were appearing, entangled themselves around his feet and legs before they looped around his whole body up to his throat. Emma only moved a finger, and the tied up man was thrown against the door.

“Who are you!” Emma demanded to know and stepped closer, her magic still pressing him against the door. “You’re not my Jefferson! Explain yourself!” She glowered at him, mad as hell as she didn’t know what had happened, and worse not knowing where the real Jefferson was.

Jefferson 

"Aladdin?" Jefferson asked in confusion. "No, no. This is King Arthur's..." he started, hands still fidgeting against his thighs as he looked away from the woman towards the window, swearing he could almost see Priscilla's specter standing there, but froze as soon as something struck him.

He let out a gasp of alarm as ropes wrapped wildly around him, pinned his arms flat down, and the rope tightened around his neck. His eyes were wide and his breathing started becoming erratic. Not again! He'd almost expect this woman was Regina in disguise with the malice turned on him, but there was something in what she said. My Jefferson?

He raised his lip and ever so slightly shook his head. "I never suggested I was your Jefferson... I don't even know you!"

Trying and failing to move, he'd only succeeded in tightening the ropes when he flexed his shoulders and closed his eyes. This was worse. Much worse than being bodiless. He couldn't move at all, but he could feel the choking tightness in his body where he couldn't feel anything before. "Look!" he gasped trying not to hyperventilate with the familiar feeling of being out of his own control much too soon again. "I was in the Queen of Heart's castle as a prisoner there. And then pop! I was in the straw here in Arthur's castle. Somehow, I seem to have realm jumped inadvertently. This hasn't happened to me before so I can't explain further." What was better? Facing the inevitable impossibility of making a hat without magic which wouldn't work, or facing this angry woman speaking ridiculous notions of him being her Jefferson and promptly squeezing him to death?

His face was starting to turn pink from the tightness of the ropes because it was a great effort to stop squirming.

Emma

This Jefferson looked scared, and his words sounded plausible. However, Emma didn’t release him yet. She took in every single detail how Jefferson reacted, the way he said it, the sound of his voice, every move of his body, and even the movement of his eyes. She used her super powers on him to see if he would lie to her. 

Jefferson had finished speaking, and after some more moments Emma let her finger sink, breaking the magic. She let him slide down the door until he stood on his own feet again, and loosened the ropes that fell off him. Emma frowned. “Then you’re the Mad Hatter,” she stated the obvious, and made a step back to give him some space. “And you don’t know me yet,” she added trying to recall the story of Jefferson when he was in Wonderland. Emma started to pace up and down. He had been imprisoned for years in a chamber filled with hats do create the one hat that could bring him back. And then? How did he escape? Emma didn’t remember that part. She just knew before that he had been beheaded. 

She stopped, walked over to him, and simply pulled his shirt down a bit, just enough so she could see the fresh scar. “Yes, you have been freshly beheaded. And somehow you traded place with my Jefferson.” Emma’s eyes widened when she realized the whole truth. Without warning she grabbed his hands, and turned them to check on his wrists. No scars. That would mean her Jefferson was in Wonderland now, and his hand had really been chopped off. Something must have happened when she had used her magic to make everyone believe he would really lose his hands! Something had went wrong. The axe was magical as well, her magic and the Wonderland magic must have been collided creating… this mess.

_Okay, think,_ Emma let go of Jeff’s hands again, and started to pace around again. She was still aware of the mad hatter’s presence and would use magic to keep him where he was in case he would try to run away. She had do switch the Jefferson’s back, no question. So if the axe had done it she would need the axe again to undo it. Well, most likely. On the other hand Jefferson was a portal jumper. He could take them to Wonderland, switch back to where he belonged. 

But the tiny problem was that an angry and powerful king was after them, Emma had to find that amulet, and according to this Jeff they didn’t have much time left. She made a decision, and looked firmly into Jeff’s eyes.

“Okay, we’ll try to fix this later. First I need your help to find an amulet I came to Camelot for. It must be here somewhere. If you help me find it, I’ll get us out of here. So, what is your choice? Helping me or surrender to Bertilak?”

Jefferson   
With a deep breath of air, Jefferson felt the constriction loosen and fall away just as his bare feet hit the carpeted floor. He clutched his throat almost as if worried the stitching might fall away and his head topple off, but there was no reason to worry about that. It felt mostly healed aside from a slight stinging. Perhaps that was because of being out of Wonderland. 

His eyes narrowed as he glanced back to this woman who claimed he didn't know her yet, but she acted as if she was quite comfortable around him yanking his shirt down to examine the scar given to him for abandoning his daughter, and then grabbing his hands. What she was looking for there, he had no idea, and looked as well almost expecting to see something. 

"I think I have an idea about you," he said caustically as he crossed his arms over his chest to protect his hands from whatever she suspected may be there. "You're very rude. And my name is Jefferson. I'm not mad, but I think you are." He pursed his lips looking away from her. He'd been called Hatter for years already, but throwing Mad in front of the occupation seemed a bit presumptuous as if she really did know what he'd recently been subjected to. It made him think he'd become like those nutbags in Wonderland skittering and fretting about while ranting about inconsequential things. Had he been acting that way? Maybe he had. Shaking her earlier was a poor choice of action.

As the woman paced around, Jefferson didn't really care what she thought of him or her suspicion that he had somehow traded places with an alternate version of himself which supposedly belonged to her. He wanted out. And the window was just over there with a transparent vision of a redheaded woman beckoning him to come. His mouth opened in astonishment looking at her. She'd been dead for years. His fault, but was she warning him to hurry? 

Abstractly, he heard the woman say something about helping her find some amulet. He glanced away from Priscilla and shook his head. This woman was intensely looking at him and he took a step backwards away from her glare lest she try to hurt him again. "Fix what? I'm free now and I don't need your help to escape Bertilak. I have Priscilla to help me get out of here." He looked back to the window just as the specter put one leg out of the window waving at him to come. His expression softened as he smiled at her completely forgetting that the woman in front of him had magic.

Emma 

Emma lifted an eyebrow in disapproval about his words she’d be rude. “Watch your words, mad hatter. Jefferson is in Wonderland. But before I’ll get him back I want you…” Emma went silent, looking at him. He didn’t seem to listen to her anymore but was staring at a window. Emma turned, awaiting someone was there, but there wasn’t. It was only a small window. She looked at Jeff again; he was miles away with his thoughts.

Emma waved her fingers before his eyes. “Hey, what’s wrong with you? There’s nothing there.” Her waving seemed to have helped. He was focusing on Emma again, and said something Emma didn’t want to hear. Actually, one word gave her goosebumps. “Priscilla? You mean - _the_ Priscilla? You’re first love? Where is she?” Emma almost yelled at Jeff and looked around, but she couldn’t see her. _Of course I can’t see her as she is dead,_ she thought angrily. But obviously Jeff could see her!

Emma groaned. Of course - during the time in Wonderland he had gone mad, and it had taken him an amount of time to become mostly normal again. But this Jefferson came directly from Wonderland, he had been freshly beheaded and Emma could imagine this incident had affected him tremendously. He was probably hallucinating. He didn’t know her yet, and since he realized he was in Camelot he probably had only one wish - to see Priscilla. So his mind played him by granting him his wish?   
Emma had no idea how a mad brain worked, and right now she wasn’t eager to find out.   
They had to find that amulet, get Jefferson back from Wonderland, and go home.

“Hey, where the hell do you think you’re going?” Emma lifted her hand when Jefferson was about to head to the window, and grabbed him with magic. “Do I need to tie you up again?” By flicking her wrist a rope wrapped itself around Jeff’s wrists, tying them together, and the other end appeared in Emma’s hand. She released him from the magical grip, and tugged on the leash to hold him back.

“Priscilla is dead, your mind tricks you. I said we have to find the amulet before we get out. So I suggest you try very hard to help me find it, unless you want to be beheaded again by Bertilak - for real this time.”

Jefferson 

The other woman was speaking angrily at him again, but she wasn't his concern. Escape with the familiar image of his wife was much more promising than lurking with danger. But with a sharp inhale of breath, he was grabbed yet again, this time by the wrists and tugged.

Whirling around on his bare feet, Jefferson rounded on the woman as he loomed over her, his fists clenching together to restrain himself from grabbing at her. "I know she's dead! She died in my arms! My fault!" The entire horrible event was racing through his mind fresh and painfully again. The arrows that pierced her back as the insane March Hare cackled and struck at the door trying to get to them.

He tried to sound as angry as he knew he should be, this woman so carelessly spouting the obvious to him, but how did she know that Priscilla was dead? That was worrying... Who was she?

With a sad glance over his shoulder again, Jefferson saw the specter had faded with his own awareness that it was true. His mind had played tricks on him showing him exactly what he desired. "Damn," he muttered to himself wistfully and faced forward again, his head bowed.

The other thing she said, something about an amulet again, wasn't ringing a bell exactly, but she was going to keep insisting on finding it until she had it. "You don't need to tie me up. I can see you're persistent. Finding things is what I do, or... used to do, so if you don't mind..." He raised his eyes to meet her eyes and his hands up as well. "Who are you anyway?" He shot an accusatory glare at her as he imagined all sorts of possible explanations as to why she knew him and he couldn't reciprocate the notion. "And how do you know me... and... and Priscilla?"

Emma

So he was aware that he only imagined seeing her? Interesting. He looked again to the window, but this time his mumbled ‘damn’ and facial expression told Emma that Priscilla was gone. A tiny part of Emma began to feel pity for him. Although it wasn’t her Jefferson, he was some Jefferson. She remembered how she told him she would love every part of him, and to her own surprise she realized that she really did.

Jeff was complaining by now about his tied hands, and acknowledged to help her. At least that was like it sounded for her. So she flicked her wrist again, and the rope disappeared. “The name’s Emma,” she replied to his other question. “You don’t have to glare at me, we’re meant for each other. Jefferson and I shared a true love’s kiss.”

She knew it would be like a cold shower after his desire was still there for Priscilla, and he didn’t know Emma, but she didn’t want to waste the advantage in making it clear to him that they belonged together. It could only benefit her if he should help her. “I know about Priscilla because you told me of her, and your daughter, Grace.”

There was a faint noise to hear on the other side of the door. “Can we skip the introducing part, and try to find my amulet? As you said yourself, we don’t have much time.”  
She lifted her hands, aimed her magic at the door, and for a second the door glowed white. “That should give us some more minutes. Now, if you would please help me find my amulet then we can go and have a nice chat.”

She tilted her head, looked at him with puppy eyes, and gave him one of her lovely smiles of that she knew her Jefferson couldn’t resist.

Jefferson 

Emma removed the ropes and Jefferson smiled tightly preparing to thank her very much with no little sarcasm, but just after introducing herself, she revealed more than he'd expected. "Pardon me?" he asked blankly. "True love?" It was already confusing enough that she kept talking about him as if he wasn't who he said he was, and simultaneously in Wonderland and in Camelot, but to drop in a mix of 'we' and 'Jefferson' and his head felt like it wasn't quite on correctly again. 

"Wait... You know Grace? My Grace? Is she okay?" He'd already been terribly anxious over leaving her, abandoning her because of that horrible Regina! "I'm going to kill Regina for what she did to me..." His voice trailed off as he looked to the door, eyes much wider than usual as the noise from the hall reached his ears. The door glowed and the external noise was blocked out of earshot. Magic. Grace.. Time to run. Almost out of time. 

As he looked back to Emma, he noticed she was staring at him, and smiling. Well, that was rather disconcerting, and he pulled his head back as if she might bite him. After the ropes and the choking, he wasn't sure about her quickly changing attitude towards him. She had to be mad as well... 

Carefully sidestepping away, he gave her one last leery look, before his eyes roamed their surroundings. "Amulet... amuleta, amuletoes, toes," his eyes rolled downwards to notice his own toes and wiggled them experimentally. "You have no idea how good it is to be able to move your toes again after being unable for so long." 

But he could tell he was likely going to try her patience by stalling, and he truly did want to get the hell out before that magic she cast at the door wore off. So, he licked his lip and tried to concentrate. "I met a cat recently. The cat. Floating teeth, wickedly sharp, and it had a thing for knowledge. Seems it came to Camelot with me because it knows where... your? amulet is." 

The polished stone floor was littered with rugs and trunks, gold stacked and cluttered in piles. Chalices and gemstones here and there. Jefferson found he had to step over some impediments as the cat instructed him on which way to go. Twice his bare foot stepped on a nugget of gold and he cursed hopping on one foot in attempt to land on a bare place again. "Go the 'Wrong Way?' What the hell does that mean? There aren't any preposterous signs here. This is Camelot. ...Okay! Then pick a number, Cat." He waited a moment for an answer, then shook his head. "Negative one? Who picks that for a number? ...You're not a Who. You're an It.... I know it's a legitimate number. ...Okay fine." And stepped one foot backwards to accommodate a negative one or walking the wrong way. He looked back down at his bare feet and tilted his head. He was standing on a small rug. "Are you sure this it?" he asked the air. 

Then shrugged as he looked at Emma stepping off the rug. "Your amulet," and waved at the floor. Maybe whatever she was looking for had sunken into the floor for all he knew.

Emma

She still smiled at him when he realized what she had said about true love’s kiss. “Yes, true love. Rainbow colored wave erupting from both kissers… you know…and yes, I know your daughter - she’s safe.” 

Hoping the words about his daughter would calm him, Emma watched him in silence when his twisted brain made him say weird things. She didn’t interrupt him as she knew he was talking to himself and she wasn’t supposed to understand him.

Watching and hearing him how he acted in his mad state was mixtur of excitement, horror and sympathy. Normally Emma’s dark soul would suggest to intensify the madness, but as evil as she was, she wouldn’t do that to Jefferson. Playing him a bit, teasing and seducing was what she liked to do to him, maybe punish him a bit when he deserved it. She had also no problem with taking an advantage of him if it would help to get rid of the little brat he had sired. 

It almost pained her to see him like that, talking to someone who wasn’t even there. Her eyes fell on his bare feet when he wiggled his toes and the odd dance he was doing by evading and stepping onto gems. 

Emma shook her head, moved her hand and in the next moment Jefferson was wearing shoes. He didn’t seem to notice them at first as he was still talking to that invisible cat.   
Eventually he pointed to the floor, announcing her amulet would be here. Emma rolled her eyes. It seemed she had backed the wrong horse. “It’s the plain floor, hatter. There’s nothing there!”

The voiced on the other side of the door had gotten louder, and a first dull knock was to hear. The had reached the door. Emma didn’t know what to do. Mad Jefferson couldn’t obviously help her, and it would be only minutes until the king would arrive, and opened the door with magic.

Although she was in a hurry, Emma took her time and put both of her hands gently on Jeff’s arms, looking into his eyes, “Jeff, I thought you wanted to see your daughter again. I thought you wanted to go back to Grace. Now here’s the problem - only you know where my amulet is hidden, and it’s certainly not on the floor. So, I won’t leave until I have for what I came for, and that goes for you as well. Don’t you think Grace would be very disappointed if she would learn her father has abandoned her?”

She emphasized her words as she gave him a more detailed description of the amulet. “I’m looking for an amulet that has the power to separate two souls. Think, Jeff. You know what I’m talking of, because my Jefferson knows. Get it for me, and you’ll see Grace again. How does this sound?” Emma had spoken as gently as possible although she actually was threatening him. She was sure his daughter would give him the right motivation.

Jefferson 

She called him Hatter again, fortunately this time excluding the addition of Mad. His back went straight when she went on to poke at his need to see his daughter again, and he frowned at her. "Don't you threaten me!" He pointed towards her face despite the banging on the door. He barely heard that, he was fuming so quickly, but gulped at the thought that Grace likely already thought she had been abandoned now by both parents.

He turned the pointing finger towards the rug. "Your Jefferson knows and I myself know because I've been told precisely where it is and have just told you as well. Do you ignore your Jefferson, too?" he asked dryly, not exactly expecting a straight answer.

Now he began to notice the banging, muffled by her dampening spell. His eyes shot to the door with concern, but furrowed his brow as he turned the challenging look back to Emma. Squatting, he supposed he had to show her. With a casual swipe of his hand, he pushed the rug back on one corner to reveal a recession in the floor. A glass box was shown within and inside that was a translucent, yet glowing amulet on a cord. It looked much like a necklace. "Apparently, I'm still good at finding things." Raising an eyebrow, he gave a smug look to Emma as he pulled the box from the floor, stood, and offered it to her in his palm with a gallant and exaggerated gesture.

But now he began to think of what she had actually described to him. "Two souls separated? Why would anyone want to do something like that?" He wondered as he really studied this woman. "And uh," he fidgeted with his free hand's fingers as he watched her over the box. "Since that's here. And... evidently there are two of me... do you suppose that amulet has been used on me?"

Emma

“Oh, I wouldn’t call it ‘threaten you’. I’m more… uhm… motivating you!” By now she had withdrawn her hands from his arm, a sweet as sugar smile on her face. Well, it didn’t work. At least that’s what Emma thought when Jeff started to insist on knowing where her amulet was. She rolled her eyes before answering. “Contrary to you, my Jeff doesn’t lead me to search for my stuff in solid stone!” She noticed him glancing toward the door. It wouldn’t take long for the guards to get in. However, Emma had been serious. She wouldn’t leave without the amulet.

She looked at the door too, and began to say “You know, time is…” Her mouth slightly opened in surprise when Jefferson removed the rug that had obviously had only one reason - to hide something. Not only something, but nothing else than a box with the amulet. When Jefferson offered her the box, Emma gave him a truth meant smile this time. “Yes, I take it back - you are a natural in finding things.”

While Emma opened the box, and took the amulet out to have a closer look at it, Jeff started to ask questions she didn’t have the time for to answer now. “I think that’s my business,” she gave him a quick reply. When he asked her for the amulet being used on him, Emma was tempted to scare him a bit by holding it directly in height of his eyes.   
“Well, we could try and find out.”

The doors flew open with a ‘pang’, and Emma let go of the amulet when something hit her hand. She screamed in pain, and saw an arrow stuck in her palm. The amulet was sent flying a few meters before it fell down to the ground again. Emma clasped her pierced hand to steady it, and shot an angry look towards the door. She managed to erect a magical barrier that would hold the guards back for a few more moments, hopefully enough time to fix her hand. It might have worked if Bertilak himself hadn’t shown up. With a gesture of his hand the barrier came down, and he stood there, his hands stemmed to his hips, and looked at the scene.

Emma hissed in pain, but made quick work of the arrow that vanished before she healed the wound. It wasn’t necessary anymore to pretend she didn’t have magic.  
She turned her head to look what Jefferson was doing.

Jefferson 

Jefferson flinched backwards when Emma held up the amulet near his face. His fingers tightened on the glass box to keep from dropping it, but in that precise moment, the doors flew open and an arrow whizzed towards them striking Emma in the threatening hand.

Everything in Jefferson's mind was reeling in horror at the sight of the arrows. Being in the place where he'd first met Priscilla paired with just seeing her apparition and the weapon that had killed her, it was as if he had just been shot back into the past.

He dropped to the ground with a sharp inhalation of breath and eyes wide. Emma had screamed, but Jefferson couldn't spare a look at her. The amulet was glowing two inches from his nose. Abandoning the glass box which had shattered the moment he hit the floor and had cut his hand he now realized, he reached for the amulet and quickly looped the cord over his head and shoved the glowing cylinder into his opened shirt collar. The brush of the cord against the scar on his neck sent another chill of horror through him.

Bertilak opened his palm and lowered his arm causing the feeble barrier to drop. The princess thus injured had made a weak attempt at a barrier spell and he grinned without humor at the two thieves. "You dared to steal from me after the hospitality I've given you? Give me my amulet!" his voice boomed through the treasure room. One of the guards' knees shook in his armor before purposely locking his knees and standing straighter at attention.

Bertilak took another step closer and past the spot where the barrier had once stood. "Now." He saw the princess had her own magic as she had removed the arrow and healed herself. He was ready to react should the princess attempt to attack him, though he was hardly concerned considering what he'd already diminished.

Jefferson rolled onto his back and raised his head to first look at Emma. The arrow was gone. How was it gone? Had he imagined the arrows? Yes! No arrows! All just tricks. It was easier to believe that. His heart was racing in his chest. Emma wasn't dying on the floor. She was still standing in defiance. Maybe I've gone mad, he pondered to himself while his mind still raced wanting to run for the window unless arrows actually did appear.

Slowly, he stood from the clutter on the floor, and the boots crunched the broken glass beneath them. He'd have to thank Emma for that later. If they survived the Green Knight's fury, that is. He glanced to the window again. How he wished he'd gone with Priscilla. Again... If they had just gone, even if Emma had accompanied them, they wouldn't be in this predicament now...

The desire to leave was the strongest feeling Jefferson felt in that moment. He was hardly concerned with whatever Bertilak was demanding at Emma, nor was he listening. He had simply taken a side step closer to the window, giving in to his own desire.

"You!" Bertilak's voice directed at Jefferson began furious and with a raised hand, but a moment later, the tone of voice changed, almost as if spoken in a dream-like state. "You may leave." Bertilak's eyes remained on Jefferson. A green eye twitched as if he was attempting to wake from the strange dream, but Jefferson didn't wait to verify the odd release.

Jefferson took a few more steps backwards towards the window, then looked at Emma. What would happen to her? Well, she certainly wouldn't choke him, restrain him, or threaten him again, now would she? He'd be free of her demands... and he had her necklace.

Clearing his throat, Jefferson dipped his head slightly at Bertilak who was still strangely staring at him. What the hell was wrong with him? "Thank you... your... er, Majesty?"

Once again looking at Emma, Jefferson realized he probably shouldn't just climb out of the window and leave her behind with the giant in the strange state of stupor as he was. So, he silently mouthed the words, "Come," and took a few more steps towards the window. His fingers, the ones cut by the glass box, made like he was going to scratch the back of his head, but moved his collar just enough so that she would see the necklace cord hidden beneath his shirt, then dropped his hand from his shirt, and finally reached out and put a bracing hand on the window ready to get the hell out finally. His other hand held out towards Emma hoping to the gods he wasn't going to regret getting her out. In a way, she was the only one who knew even slightly how he'd gotten to Camelot. She might know more.

Bertilak, very slowly as if stuck in slow motion, began to turn his face away from Jefferson and towards Emma, his eyes narrowing as his hand slowly began to rise directly for her heart.

Emma

Jeff had taken cover, and after Emma had made sure he wasn't injured she faced Bertilak again. The amulet was gone, but she would search for it later. Now it was time to settle things with the king. Once and for all.

"I didn't ask for your hospitality, your majesty, you only interfered while we had a happy moment!" She heard glass crunching, and assumed Jeff was back to his feet now.  
A moment later Bertilak's attention was brought to him too. Her mouth dropped in disbelief when she heard the king allowing Jeff to leave. Emma couldn't prevent turning her head and staring at Jeff. The thief obviously was taking his chance and made a few steps towards the window before he looked at her.

She frowned at him while her heart beat faster as she didn't know if he would leave her. It seemed so... or not? He was hesitating then whispered to her to come with him.  
Emma was just about to hiss back how he would think to do that, when he revealed the cord of her amulet that was hanging around his neck.

Emma's eyes widened, but she remembered just in time better not to draw Bertilak's attention to Jeff. However, he wanted her to come with him. Jeff was already at the window, his hand still outstretched, waiting she would follow him. The problem was, Bertilak seemed to change his mind. 

He lifted his paw, aiming for Emma's heart, but he was slow. Unusual slow. Emma sprang into action. She knew running would only solve her problem temporary, she had to make sure to escape and be safe. While Bertilak seemed to be slowed down by some kind of spell, Emma wasn't. Her hand darted forwards, and sunk into his chest before he could even touch her. With a quick move she ripped out his heart, and held it like a trophy before his face.

"Do you really think you could get me that easily? Now, you will order your guards to stand down, and stand here until Jeff and I have left. Neither you or your men will follow us. Maybe I tell you later where I dropped your heart so you can have it back. But until then you will stay in your castle." Emma had spoken into his heart to make sure it was an order for him he had to obey.

She kept her eyes on him while stepping backwards to Jeff. She reached for his hand, and waited for him to escape through the window before she would follow him.

Jefferson 

Jefferson's outstretched hand slackened as did his jaw when he saw Emma shoot her hand into the Green Knight's chest and rip out the beating heart. Oh shit. She is like Regina. Bad news... The entirety of the True Love situation baffled him. Was the other Jefferson, her Jefferson evil, too? But she said Grace is safe. So... there was that.

He was never one to down an advantage when he had little other choice. Emma ordered the giant to stay in the castle which would give them ample opportunity to get away, so, that was... good...

As conflicted as he was, Jefferson stayed at the window watching this bizarre scene, his hand still open when Emma took it. Bertilak was no longer moving slowly, but watching them both. A coldness in his eyes was almost tangible as the monarch spoke. "I will find you and you will suffer for this. Mark my words!"

Jefferson barked out a laugh at the statement before tugging on Emma's hand as he threw a leg out of the window and onto the stone window frame outside. He planned on getting the hell out of Camelot and as soon as possible. That was, unless Emma and her Jefferson arrived in Camelot in some way other than the hat, but that made less sense than how he had gotten from Wonderland to Camelot without the hat.

The hill outside was barely a full body's length from the window and Jefferson easily jumped down from the ledge. He realized then, adrenaline was causing his heart to continue to race and it was exhilarating. Smiling, he held up a hand to help Emma down as well.

Twice now, he had escaped from that treasure room but this was the first time he didn't have guards or arrows pursuing them. Still, he wasn't interested in lingering about to find out. He eyed the heart in Emma's hand warily, but averted his eyes. Not his business. Getting her out of the castle and to the portal door was his business.

"I assume you came here through... my hat? Where is the portal? I want to get home immediately. My Grace... I have to see her again. It's been..." His expression screwed up as he wasn't even certain of how long it had actually been. "A long time. Get Grace first, then I can help you find your Jefferson." But then again, that would mean Wonderland and there was no fucking way he was going back there. Two in, two out. He'd get left behind. Again. Nope! He'd just have to show her the way in with a spare body and run back to the Enchanted Forest because as hellish as Wonderland was, he didn't exactly like the thought of another version of himself being subjected to that place either.

Emma

On her way to Jefferson and out of the castle Emma didn’t pay much attention to Bertilak’s words. “Yeah, and I can still crush your heart,” she threw in a reply without stopping.  
Jefferson gave her a helping hand so she could jump down without falling. She followed Jeff down the small hill, but came to a halt when he asked her about the portal and ...going home.

_Fuck, I can’t lead him to the portal,_ Emma thought. _I have to bring him back to Wonderland and get my Jeff back._ She remembered in time to walk on hoping he wouldn’t become suspicious. “Sure, let’s get to Grace,” Emma agreed while her mind was racing. _I need the amulet before he can use it on me too,_ she thought. She had lied to Jeff before by telling him the amulet would separate two souls. She knew it had the power to control people, change them and make them more agreeable. Like Jeff had done with Bertilak. The question was, did Jeff know? Emma decided not to take any risk; she would try to get it back as soon as they were out of sight of the castle.

When they reached the forest line, Emma took Jeff’s hand and stopped him. She would wait until he looked at her before saying “Jeff, I didn't have the time to thank you for rescuing me.” Her voice was as soft as possible, her eyes staring at his, and her hands found a way to his shoulders, intending to wrap them around his neck.

Jefferson 

Jefferson stopped when Emma tugged on his hand. He shot her a questioning look before turning back towards the direction he recalled the village and the forest. It was the way he had gone before when he and Priscilla had escaped running. He and Emma had no need to run this time, but the leisurely pace was bothersome. He wanted to run, but he didn't know the location of the portal. Perhaps if he focused on the hat, it would call to him.

When Emma spoke and touched his shoulders he turned his face back to her, his eyebrows furrowed as he puzzled over why she was touching him like this. The look in her eyes, soft as they were told him why. Oh. He pulled his head back, still watching her. He didn't trust her at all. She had a beating heart in hand and he could hear it thumping. It skittered his nerves. And once she touched his neck, he simply couldn't handle her touch.

Nervously laughing, he pulled her hands off and away before she could get a good touch of his skin. "Sensitive skin... you know?" In reflex, he cupped his throat to cover the scar. Where had his scarf gone? "No thanks necessary. I didn't do anything anyway. But you did." He shot an eye at the heart. "So... uh, thank you. Now. Shall we go?"

The trees were looming overhead and there was some chatter going on within the forest. Possibly the village he recalled being nearby. "The portal door? Do you know where it is? Or... I could find it myself if not. Maybe..." He'd have to focus really hard and his nerves were still hammering in his chest. Maybe it was Emma causing this. Or their near run in with death. Or that axe. Too many bothersome things. He would have a hell of a time focusing.

Emma

Oh, he wanted to play ‘hard to get’? Well… Emma looked at him in disappointment as best as she could before she started a second attempt. Never give up, never surrender…

“Oh, I can fix this,” she replied to his excuse of sensitive skin. Her hands came up again, and she caught his hand briefly when he cupped his throat, but let go and started to reach for his neck again. A green shimmer appeared between her fingertips, but Jeff was too nervous as it seemed. She couldn’t risk to scare him away so she withdrew her hands again, but stayed close to him.

“Oh, I’m sorry, the heart must be very distracting,” she apologized, and suddenly the heart was gone, vanished in smoke. “That’s better, I prefer to have both hands to _thank_ you.” She stroked gently over his cheek. “Go? Why, are we in a hurry? Bertilak is in his castle, and to be honest, I feel a little bit dizzy.” Emma used withdrew her hand another time, and used it to held it to her forehead, closing her eyes slightly, and leaned slightly against Jeff. “I think I’m a bit dehydrated, I haven’t had some water for hours!” She opened her eyes again, and looked at him. “Maybe we could rest here?” She pointed towards a tree where they could sit down and lean against it.

“Of course if you insist on going back, I’ll show you where the portal is…” Emma pretended to make a step forward, but stumbled and landed in Jeff’s arms. Her lips only inches away from his, she wrapped her hand around his neck, carefully not to touch the scarf, and pulled him closer. “I miss you, Jeff,” she mumbled, and her eyes moved between his eyes and his lips.

Jefferson 

A puff of magic beneath his hand revealed the appearance of material around his neck concealing the scar. His hand hesitated, then he checked to make sure it was truly secure and he felt more secure as a result. "Um, thanks," he said rather flatly shooting her a look just as odd as he felt. She still insisted on touching him. This wasn't sexual attraction. This was... something else. It was usually he who got in the face of someone he was going to con, but he found he had no idea what this woman was doing. Dizzy one moment and dehydrated, then falling upon him looking very much like she was going to kiss him? And again her hand was putting pressure near his neck.

"Um," he said again, at a loss for words. He was now entirely certain, this woman was her own special form of mad. The type of mad that ripped hearts and constricted him with ropes. Possibly even the type of mad that cut heads off.

And there was one way to handle people like that.

A tight smile suddenly appeared on his face as Jefferson whipped his hand up to capture her wrist again to get her hand away from his neck. Scarf or not, the skin was sensitive and it set his nerves a flame. He spun her around so that her back was flush to his chest, his arm holding her wrist in front of her and pinned to her own chest. His jaw was now against the side of her head as he scrambled to bring back his quick wit that he'd always had until his head was removed. He was still himself. Mostly anyway...

"How can you miss me? You don't know me. You know an alternate version of me. With infinite worlds and infinite possibilities, I may not be anything you expect." While he spoke as smoothly as he could muster, his free hand smoothed over her hip in the dress searching for hidden pockets. If she was holding anything he could use against her, he'd find it before she could use it against him.

While he was at it, he tilted his face down to look over her shoulder to attempt to glance down her cleavage. Plenty of women hid weapons in their bodice. He'd found some himself plenty of times. This woman was a walking weapon however with her magic. If only he had some of that dreamberry... But he didn't think to grab any while being hauled to face the queen.

He'd have to rely on his own form of magic. And since she had been fawning over him, he had to assume that perhaps she really did love her alternate Jefferson. Poor schmuck.

"But don't worry. If you're dehydrated and dizzy, I'll... I'll carry you to the portal! I know a rejuvenating spring in the Enchanted Forest!" He moved fast that time, stepping to her side, bending slightly and throwing Emma's arm around his head so he could lift her up and over his shoulder, his forearm looped over her leg to hold her in place. "Since my coat is missing, you may enjoy the view from behind." And off he walked, much faster this time, into the woods smiling to himself.

Emma

Emma gasped in surprise when Jefferson spun her around and pinned her arms before her chest. She could feel his breath at her neck while he spoke, and his free hand sliding down her hip. Emma giggled. He didn't intent to caress her, but he was looking for something. Jeff might be trying to made it look like he was attracted by her, but Emma could tell the difference between petting and search someone for something.

He even looked in her neckline. Emma thought this was fun and let him proceed. Hopefully he felt safer if he didn't find anything suspicious, because Emma had nothing. 

"Because we're meant for each other, Jefferson, no matter if you're an alternate version of the Jeff I met first - we shared true love's kiss. And that, love, means everything."  
She struggled slightly in his grip, but it was more to drive him mad. Her buttock rubbed along his groin, unfortunately it didn't have the effect she wanted him to be.   
Instead he lifted her up, using another excuse of her faked dizziness and dehydration, and in the next moment Emma had a marvellous look on his ass. 

Well, he was right, he enjoyed the view, but not the situation. Why was he so resistant? Emma curled her lips, and then everything started to rock. Jeff's shoulder wasn't very comfortable, but at the moment she couldn't do anything except using her magic. To bad she knew to gain Jeff's trust she had to get things done preferably without magic.   
Her hands found a way into his pants, grabbing his buttocks firmly. It helped to compensate the rocking, and would hopefully distract him enough to let her down. 

Emma began to slide her hands deeper into his pants, trying to get them between his legs and do some fishing.

Jefferson 

As he walked with a much faster and agreeable speed, Jefferson tried to focus on his hat. HIS hat, not someone else's, nor some other version of himself, because he was really the only one wasn't he? And there was only one portal hat. The hat wasn't calling him. Perhaps it was his existential crisis chattering in his head, or it was the way the blonde 'pain-in-the-shoulder' had tempted him with her buttocks before he picked her up. Maybe it was this true love garbage she kept insisting on.

The thing about it was that Jefferson was lonely and had been for years. But temptation was what got him separated from Grace in the first place. He was not going to allow this intractable woman to slow his progress to the Enchanted Forest!

There was a tug at the back of his trousers and once again, his focus was completely removed from finding the hat as he felt the squeeze of his ass and further rooting around.

Tensing, Jefferson let out a yelp of surprise, attempted to reach behind himself to stop her progress, but tripped on a stone hidden by leaves. His grip on Emma was lost as he fell forward, sprawling on top of Emma. The amulet pendant rolled out of his shirt and onto Emma, but Jefferson was too aware that he was laying over her to notice the necklace at all.

Emma

This time her plan worked. Well, partly. Instead of letting her down Jefferson stumbled and dropped her. More of less. At least it felt like he had dropped her. Emma rolled over the ground to find Jefferson on top of her. And there it was, her precious amulet. It had rollen out of his shirt, and Emma didn’t think twice but covered it with her hand, using her magic to remove the cord that was holding the amulet around his neck. Once it was free she quickly covered it with her hand, hoping Jeff didn’t realize he had lost something.

“I have to admit, I didn’t think you’d be that passionate, but I’m glad you took the initiative.” She looked into his eyes, smiling, inviting him to stay in this position as long as he wished. The hand that was holding the amulet slid to the side, and slightly under her back to make sure it stayed out of sight. For a moment Emma was tempted to use it on him, but she discarded that idea immediately as it was more fun for her to see if she could seduce this Jefferson, too. It was all a game with a sweet reward for both of them if she would succeed. 

And there it was again. The strong desire to kiss Jeff, and touch him, and don’t let go of him. Only the feeling was different now. She wanted to have her Jeff for all of this. Feeling the mad Jeff so close to her made the desire to get her Jeff back even stronger. The problem was, this Jeff would never trade his place voluntarily with her Jeff, and go back to Wonderland. So she had to force him, or trick him. It would be a simple thing to use Bertilak’s heard and order him to use the axe again. But Emma didn’t know exactly how the magic had worked. It was better to use the hat. Two in, two out. She only had to make sure the right Jefferson would get out.

“I think we were looking for the hat portal, weren’t we?” She asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

Jefferson 

Jefferson gawked at Emma, then snapped his mouth shut. What the hell was she doing anyway? She had done it purposely to bother him, that's what! Her sarcasm was noted and received a pensive glare in return. His eyes followed her eyes, the expression on her face as she studied him, and the way she fluttered her eyelashes. Oh, she was laying it on heavily. All because of her true love? No, she was up to something. And while he could play her back, he had a much stronger desire to get back what he had lost. To hurry and find the portal door and right what he had taken advantage of. Grace.

Carefully, he got up from the ground and her and wearily held out a hand to help Emma up. There was no reason she should be laying in the dirt even if he didn't trust her. 

"Yes. We are looking for the hat portal. Are you quite refreshed enough to walk this time?" He was under no illusion that she had actually been dehydrated. Oh, it was clear enough that she was playing with him. Somehow, this escape had become a game to her. A lust-crazed game. 

Gesturing a thumb over his shoulder back towards the deep woods, Jefferson asked, "Because if you are so inclined to move your ass instead of grabbing mine, I'd be glad to get home." Two in, two out meant he had to wait for her.

 

Emma

Too bad, this Jefferson wasn’t as much as her Jeff was. He didn’t even try to play along. Well, it wouldn’t matter; Emma got she wanted. She took the hand ho offered, and let him pull her up. “I think I’ll manage. Let’s go then, back to your Grace, and my Jefferson.”

Jeff’s next comment made her giggle. What to say, I like your ass. Who knows, one day you might regret you didn’t touch mine.” Smiling at him, Emma headed to the place where she and Jeff had arrived in Camelot. It came to her mind that she had to take care of that heart of Bertilak before they went through the portal.

Holding her palm open, the heart appeared on her hand, and Emma held it to her lips to whisper to it. “You’ll wait one hour in your castle, as well as your men. Then you’re free to retrieve your heart at the same place we met.” She thought for a moment about another option, then waved her hand over the heart, and started to giggle.

Jefferson 

At Emma's comment about what he might regret, his eyes went to the shape of her ass concealed by the dress as she walked ahead of him. Too bad. He could have - she was clearly willing - but he'd certainly pay a price for touching her, he was certain.

He was only half paying attention to what she was saying, thinking she was talking to herself perhaps, when he saw the glow from her hand. The heart again! Her giggle again was something else to be concerned over as he wasn't sure exactly what it meant except that she was up to something yet again.

Biting his lip in uncertainty, his curiosity was starting to get the best of him, so he closed the distance between them to look more carefully at the heart before speaking over her shoulder. "What are you doing to that heart?"

Having dealt with Rumpelstiltskin and his machinations for years, he was no stranger to that sort of darkness and never really had much of a fear of villains until what Regina had done to him. Despite that, Emma was completely unique from them and he wasn't sure he was able to anticipate what she was doing or if he should be more cautious. Did it matter? She was willingly going to go through the doorway so that they could both get what they wanted again. Easy enough.

Emma

Jefferson was looking over her shoulder, and asked what she did to the heart. Emma shrug her shoulders. “Well, I said he can have his heart back. But he won’t be able to put it back into his chest without becoming love sick for his daughter he tried so hard to reject.” Emma smirked. “After all Zelena has done she deserves a ‘loving father’, don’t you think?” She completely forgot that this Jeff very likely wouldn’t know about Bertilak’s love affair with the Queen of Hearts or the possibility being the sire of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Still giggling Emma poofed the heart away, and led Jefferson to the exact place where she and the original Jeff had appeared.

“Now, we’re here. I think it’s your turn. Get us home.” By ‘home’ Emma meant the room with the many doors inside the hat. Just had just to find the right door, and… everything would be as it should be.

Jefferson 

The answer given was not what he'd expected. He'd expected something nefarious, of course, for what does one do to a heart that was ripped out? But hearing what sounded like a good thing in the end and Jefferson was nodding in approval. "Mm, yes, I believe she does." Whoever Zelena is. "Some people don't realize what they have until it's lost, after all."

This thought trail led Jefferson into his own inner turmoil once again about what he'd lost. Grace told him she didn't want him to go, she didn't need more than they had, but he wanted to give her everything, so he left. But that time was coming to a close. He was finally going to get through a working portal again.

And finally they were there! He could see the shimmer on the out-of-place doorway and could have wept in joy. Smiling towards it, he laughed, reaching out to touch the magic of the doorway. The sensation of magic coursing along his skin was encouraging. This was going to finally work out! 

"Home. Right. Yes! Take my hand." Still grinning, he held out his hand towards her, no longer concerned in the least about his distrust.

After the two step through into the hat, the familiar sight of the black, marbled floor and the various different doors into so many worlds were just as welcoming a sight. Home was right around the corner, so to speak, or in this case, only two doors away. A small tree grew out of the frame with sprouting leaves to signify The Enchanted Forest. He recalled only too clearly the mistake he had made with the queen and tried not to look in the direction of the looking glass doorway that led to Wonderland. He could feel the strange eyes of the flowers looking at him, but used all of his willpower not to look back.

"Home," he mumbled almost to himself as he let go of Emma's hand and began to walk towards the Enchanted Forest's door. "Maybe I'll be back in time for tea."

But something was bothering him. Something he had failed to inquire before. "Who are you anyway? Emma? Where do you belong in the Enchanted Forest?" His expression changed when he recalled the part about her true love. "Where are you and your Jefferson from?" Shit. Bad oversight... Because he realized then that home to her couldn't possibly be the same home to him since he was the one Jefferson from that realm. His hackles rose as he faced her again.

Emma

Emma realized a bit too late that Jeff seemed to think she did a favor to Bertilak or Zelena. Well, maybe that wasn’t a bad thing at all. It could help winning Jeff’s trust if he thought of her doing good things. If he knew she had intended to do exactly the opposite…

Emma followed right behind Jeff when he saw the shimmering portal. While he examined it she felt for the amulet in her pocket, making sure it was still there, and knowing she had to use it on him. This Jefferson would never go back voluntarily to Wonderland. But the time wasn’t come yet. First they had to enter the hat again. Emma took his hand he offered, and both stepped through the portal into the portal room.

She kept a close eye on Jefferson, as she had to find the right door to Wonderland. Which was it? He headed straight to a door with a small tree; this had to be the door to the Enchanted Forest as he wanted to go there. But before he opened it he turned to look at Emma, shooting questions at her she rather not want him to ask.

“I’m not the Enchanted Forest Emma,” she answered while her hand started to move toward her pocket as inconspicuous as possible. I’m the Storybrooke Emma. The savior. My Jefferson lives in Storybrooke too. You might know about the Dark Curse the Evil Queen cast? It brought everyone from the Enchanted Forest to Storybrooke.”

Her hand had reached the pocket, and she clasped her hand around it, feeling the cold metal in her hand. And then she used it. Her thinking of what she desired should be enough. Emma closed her eyes for a moment, and wished for Jefferson to have only one desire - going back to Wonderland again. Not being sure if it had worked she opened her eyes again. “I hope that answered your questions. Now, which realm are we going to?”

Jefferson

Jefferson narrowed his eyes in confusion as Emma explained. A land called Storybrooke? He hadn't been to all of them as there were infinite numbers out there, but Dark Curse? Perhaps he should have been paying more attention to Rumpelstiltskin, but really all he had cared about was getting paid. What had the Evil Queen done? "I don't know of any of this." What she was saying almost sounded like the future. And it was making his head hurt. "Everyone from the Enchanted Forest? So that would mean..."

But he had to stop talking. His head was really pounding now. Closing his eyes, he pressed his fingers into his eyes and winced trying not to vomit from the dizziness that was striking him so suddenly. "What is happening?" he groaned.

And then it stopped. Emma was speaking again saying she hoped she answered his question. What question? Blinking, Jefferson dropped his hand from his face and looked at Emma, the Savior, as she asked which realm? He shook his head. "What a silly question. Wonderland, of course. I have to go back." Smiling, he shrugged and held out his elbow for her to take so that he could lead the way. His stomach seemed to have settled thankfully, how strange that was, and the headsplitting ache was gone, too.

"So. Savior, hm?" He let his eyes roam her figure looking for any obvious Savior characteristics, but aside from what she had done for this Zelena person, he somewhat doubted he knew what a savior might do. Ripping hearts? No way. "What kind of Savioring do you do then?" There was obvious doubt in his expression, but nevertheless, he led her to the looking glass as his mind was silenced from reeling in horror at entering that particular land again.

Emma

Agog Emma searched for signs the amulet had worked. Jefferson seemed to feel unwell as he was pressing his fingers into his eyes, and faltered slightly. At least Emma thought so. She craned her neck toward him when he asked what was happening. “What is it, Jeff?” She asked softly. “Don’t you feel well?”

She didn’t need an answer as Jeff gave her one by replying to her previous question where to go. Emma sighed, and smiled. So it worked! Elegantly she put her hand on his elbow, and followed him by his side. “You’re right, you need to go back. Someone is waiting already for you.”

The walk to the Wonderland door was short, and Emma was glad not to have enough time to answer his question about her being the savior in detail. “I save people of course, Jefferson. Like I saved you, and like I’m going to save someone else in a few moments.”

Emma waited for Jefferson to open the door. If he did, she would step through together with him.

Jefferson 

Jefferson pursed his lips as he gave Emma a side eye that she saved him. He saved her too, but it didn't really matter at this point. Someone else needed saving and... and...

There was confusion seeping into his mind again as he stepped through the looking glass with Emma. Stopping just on the other side, he glanced around their surroundings and a chill crept along his skin. Pulling at the scarf, he felt as if he almost couldn't breathe. He cleared his throat and took another step forward before stopping again. He was in Wonderland just as he wanted. But now that he was there, he couldn't for the life of him figure out why he'd wanted it with singularity.

"Why am I here? Again?" Foolish idea, foolish notions. Crap! Now he was stuck. Emma wasn't going to leave before she saved someone and he wanted out! He was no hero!

Dropping his arm from where she was holding on, he backed up but hit a solid surface. One cannot leave alone. It must be two. Savior or not, this was not going to bode well for him, he knew. There were thundering footsteps approaching, too. Jefferson panicked. And he ran.

Through the flowerbeds he ran as they screamed when he carelessly stomped their stems. Past the grabbing vines as they wished to wrap any passerby with their tendrils. He had to run and get away lest the Queen's guards catch him again.

\--

Meanwhile, in the Queen's Castle, Jefferson wondered how the hell he had gone backwards in time. It must have been that axe. He had seen it before in Wonderland and Bertilak (also from Wonderland, he deduced) must have stolen it at some point and taken it to Camelot. But in the meantime, Jefferson was certainly not going to go through the madness of making hats again. None would work anyway. While hat-making provided something to do, something that should help keep him sane, he had a firm enough grip on reality to know that pining for Grace again and in desperation was what had driven him past all hope of sanity.

What he needed was to get out of the stone room. But first, he had to take care of the ugly wounds on his wrists. Was this what his neck had looked like all those years ago when his head had been cut clean off? He sneered at the red stitches and shook his head in irritation. There was plenty of material in the room for the hats. He would just have to cover it up like he did with scarves for his throat.

Finding the pair of scissors exactly where he remembered they would be, he cut two long strips of the black satin and wrapped them around each wrist tying it into a knot. With that covered, he wouldn't have to be distracted by yet another injury and the reason why that had happened to him.

Emma had not done anything to keep her foolish deception from being carried out against him. She had even helped swing the axe down upon him! And he had trusted her! Throwing the scissors down on the desk, he went to inspect the doorway to the room to see if there was any difference to it this time. He was going to have to find a way out.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drunken squirrels!

Emma

Wonderland was like a cartoon for Emma. Too much colors, too many things that weren't normal. Like a giant caterpillar sitting on a giant mushroom, smoking a pipe, or abnormally big flowers that seemed to have faces...

Emma shuddered. Wonderland was definitely _not_ a place where she wanted to stay any longer than necessary. "Let's go and find... Jeff?" Emma pressed her lips together when she realized the amulet didn't seem to work on him properly anymore. He was hesitating, and backed away from her. And suddenly he started to panic and ran.

"What the... oh no! Jeff! JEFF! Don't you dare..." Emma shouted after him, but he had panicked. Emma didn't hesitate long, gathered her skirt, and took up pursuit. He was fast, too fast for Emma with her dress, and the strange surrounding that slowed her down as she didn't know where it was safe to set her feet.

"Oh, this is ridiculous," she mumbled, and stopped. She could see Jefferson in some distance running past a tree. Emma flicked her wrist, and a root from the tree sprang out of the ground just as Jeff set his foot on it. Emma saw him stumble, and quickly twisted her hand again. The root wrapped itself around Jeffs legs, and kept him in place.  
Emma took a deep breath, and closed the distance in normal pace.

"Why the hell did you run," she snarled at him. "Don't tell me some multi colored mushrooms and a pipe smoking caterpillar scared you that much! Damn it, Jefferson!"  
She stood over him, glaring at him, and didn't even think of freeing him at this point.

Jefferson 

Jefferson barked a laugh as he looked up from his pinned legs towards Emma as she approached. He pulled but it was just like when Regina left him all over again. "Are you joking? Do you not see the absolute hell we're in right now? What was I thinking coming back here?" His voice pitched as he said the last part to himself before trying to gain some control over his voice and wits and convince her again. "Forget about whoever needs rescuing. We need to get the hell out now! The Queen will behead you too if she catches you! And they're coming..." He knew she saw his neck because she gave him the scarf. She knew what could happen.

The sound of the nearing footsteps was growing louder. Each thump made him twitch in reaction as he tried to yank on the vine that was tightly wrapped around his legs. "I know where to go. To hide out and wait until dark. They won't find us there. Please. Trust me. I've been here more times than I care to remember. I'll help you find whoever you're here to save. All I ask..." He panted as he pulled again. He was under no illusion that she intended to leave Wonderland with him again. She came here to rescue someone. She had even told him just before they stepped through the looking glass that someone was waiting for him. She meant The Queen, he was certain. No way. No way. He wasn't above begging either. "If you care at all for your Jefferson, please show me the same courtesy. Don't leave me in Wonderland. There are ways to get around the 'two-in-two-out' rule and it is _my_ portal. With a third person, it can be done. Trust me."

\--

Jefferson narrowed an eye as he wedged the scissors into the pin that held the heavy wood door in place. Gaining some purchase, he bent and picked up a small hat block, aimed it at the handle of the scissors, and swung. The blade sunk in between the pin and the hinge and lifted. He laughed, surprised, but completely relieved. One step forward. Aiming again, he took another careful swing and struck the handle again. The pin shimmied up another few millimeters. One more careful aim and just before he struck, there was a call from the other side of the door: "HEY! What are you doing in there?"

Jefferson's aim was skewed and he struck the handle wrong causing the scissors to fly from the hinge. The pin settled back down into its place and the hat block fell upon his foot. "Damn it!" he hissed between his teeth. "Nothing. Go about your business. I'll just be in here... wasting time. Again."

A metal on metal scraping noise met his ears and he knew that meant the door was about to be opened. "Oh crap," he mumbled to himself as he bent and scooped up the scissors quickly and jumped back just as the door swung open. Jefferson didn't wait to see who it was and swung the blade out. It settled into something squishy and he found the sensation quite satisfying. He hit his mark! The eyes of the guard bugged out in shock before looking down at his chest to see the shining metal protruding just below his collar bone.

Jefferson didn't gawk. He grabbed the guard by the arm and hurled him into the room. Jumping out of the room he pulled the door shut and jammed the latch back into place.

Freedom! Excellent! He knew the way out and ran for it.

Emma

Emma rolled her eyes, annoyed by Jefferson’s ranting. "What I see is a lot of unnatural colors and dimensions of plants and caterpillars!" She threw in a comment. Oh perfect, the mad hatter was going to get mad again. "Jeff, you need to calm down! No one is coming, just look!" Emma stepped out of his way so he could see his surrounding. There was nothing there. At least, if one could say 'nothing' in this crazy land. Something was always there, but nothing that should scare the hell out of the him like it did now.

"Who's coming?" Emma asked alerted, but she couldn't see anyone. She gave him a pity look, and decided to let him talk. Her eyes were locked onto his, and she thought she could see the madness shimmering in them. Poor Jefferson, but luckily not her Jefferson. However, if she wanted to make sure her Jeff wouldn't end like this copy, she had to lull him into a sense of security.

She listened to his words, and almost started to feel sympathy for him. Almost. Well, maybe they could take him with them, she didn't want to rule it out, but first she had to find her Jefferson. He would know. Right now it was important to bring the mad hatter under her control again. She couldn't risk to let him run free. Her eyes still locked onto his, she grabbed him firmly by his shoulders to make sure he would listen to her.

"Now listen to me Jeff, you're right. The queen is dangerous, and under no circumstances we must run into her or her guards. I didn't want to tell you earlier, as I was scared you would be terrified, but the truth about the two of us being here is because we have to kill the queen. And no one except you can help me. You need to lead the way."  
Emma made her best poker face; there was no smile or soft expression of any kind. "You know I have magic, don't you? That's why I was chosen, that's what a savior has to do; I need to _save_ Wonderland, and all the realms. And I need to find the other Jefferson. He has a powerful weapon that will help to defeat the queen. But we don't have much time. I can use my magic to hide us from her eyes, but not for long. We have to go now, do you understand? This time I need you to trust me."

Emma let go of his shoulders, and sighed. She didn't know if he bought her story, so she took the time, and tried to use the amulet on him again while she waited for his answer. He was still rooted, but she would not free him if he was tempted to run away again. Her hand slid into her pocket where she had stored the amulet, and grabbed it. Then she closed her eyes and concentrated.

Jefferson 

Something in the way she was speaking to him now wasn't making sense. She was contradicting herself. And anyway, he was no hero! He just wanted to be Grace's father and live comfortably in the forest away from all the jobs that got him into so much trouble and caused him to lose his wife and daughter. And his head.

His mouth firmed into a grim line. He was going to have to agree despite all the warnings telling him she was bad news. If he wanted to move again, to get away...

But then the headache began pulsing behind his temple again and his stomach threatened to revolt again. He groaned and smacked a palm to the side of his head. "This realm is making me sick. Or I'm just sick." Unfortunately, he didn't realize magic was being used on him. The sick feeling subsided just a moment later just like before and Jefferson took a sustaining breath. "I apologize. I must be coming down with something."

Well, there was no way he was going to be able to help her at all if his legs were still entrapped, so he pointed at the vine and glanced back to Emma trying to contain himself long enough to hopefully get her to let him go. "Yes, I understand. I'd trust you more if you would stop doing this to me."

How weird would it be to see another version of himself? He wasn't sure about it, especially one that was true loves with a savior. "This other Jefferson... Has he... done well for himself? Had a good life? With Grace?" It would be nice to know at least one version hasn't screwed up his life and his daughter's.

Emma

Emma gave him a sceptical look, but he seemed to come to his senses again. The symptoms of the amulet affecting his mind were there again, and Emma was confident that it had worked again. She could only guess why the effect had worn off so quickly. Maybe his subconsciousness was hyperactive here in Wonderland what would be understandable after all he had been through. Nevertheless Emma would keep more than one eye on him. 

When he complained about being rooted, she quickly waved her hand, causing the vines to retreat and set him free. “I apologize for this, but you were… not yourself. It won’t happen again.” _At least as long you don’t try to run again,_ Emma added in her mind. She felt the need to also comment on his condition to keep him distracted from the amulet he wasn’t wearing anymore. “This land causes my some trouble too. No wonder you feel sick, being here again must be difficult for you. But I’m glad you’re by my side.”

Then he started to ask questions about _her_ Jefferson. Emma didn’t want to deepen that topic, so she gave him a general answer. “We didn’t talk about it in detail, I figure it pains him too much. All I know is that his Grace is at a safe place and he agreed to help me to kill the queen.”

Emma stepped closer, and her hand stroke gently over his cheek. _Bind him to you, distract him, do everything so he trusts you,_ she thought, and used her other hand as well to hold his face in place while she came closer intending to kiss him. “Let’s not think about this copy of yours. You’re here, he isn’t.”

Jefferson 

The bindings around his legs fell free and snaked back into the ground. He was not himself? "You wouldn't be quite yourself if you've been through what I have," he muttered under his breath defensively. He had heart footsteps. Those weren't made up. He didn't think so anyway.

Scratching his arm, he nodded when she assured she was glad he was there with her. The subject of Grace was always going to be a sensitive topic. He could understand why she hadn't talked much about Grace to her Jefferson. He didn't exactly want to talk to her about his Grace either, he just wanted to be back home with her, to assure her he hadn't died like she must surely think by now. "Probably wise." He didn't know what it was like between Emma and her Jefferson. Not really his business either.

Suddenly drawn from his thoughts at the touch of his cheek, he blinked as Emma stepped closer. He held his breath at the touch. He hadn't been touched with gentleness in so long, it was almost a foreign feeling.

Trust was there, he felt it. No reason to doubt why, he just did. So, he reached for her waist, feeling the silk of the dress and the way it hugged her body, and looked into her green eyes. He could see why a version of himself would be attracted to a woman like her. Drawing her nearer, Jefferson tilted his head and leaned in to meet her mouth. Inquisitive at first as if to test this trust he felt, but the loneliness of accumulated years was heavy. One arm trailed up to brush his hand along her neck to twine his fingers in her hair.

He let out an exhale of breath as he pulled back just enough for breathing room and so that he could see the effects of the kiss on her face. Did he feel something there? This fabled true love? He didn't think so. He didn't love her, but kissing her was an entirely different matter. That he did enjoy.

Emma

The rainbow effect of a true love’s kiss didn’t happen, but that was nothing she was wondering about. This Jefferson might look identical, but he was the uncouth version of her Jeff. Not escaped from the madness yet, only thinking about his daughter. He was cute, but just something to play with. Aside from that he didn’t love her, as they just had met, and for a first date their date… didn’t go optimal. But he was cute, and although the strange need to mate with Jeff had subsided since the copy was here, she enjoyed kissing him.

“Well,” she said when their lips had parted again, “we should do that more often.” She gave him a wide smile. “And now - let us finish the job. Which way?” She could only hope Jeff would obey, and that the other Jeff would be somewhere in the castle.

Jefferson 

Jefferson was still puzzled by Emma, but he was mostly certain they would not be doing that more often. Not if she was expecting to find her Jefferson again. But, it didn't matter. It was just a kiss. A bit of affection and tenderness he hadn't realized he needed before. It did give him a boost in motivation to help as well. Much more than running in terror from the sound of approaching footsteps had anyway.

Dropping his arms from her, he looked away and towards the direction he knew the castle to be and another visual shudder ran through him. "We should wait until after nightfall. This land is strangely literal. When night falls, it literally falls across the land. We won't be able to see anything for a few hours. The night creatures are especially horrible. You think screaming petunias are annoying? Wait until the dragonflies come out at night."

He couldn't see where the position of the sun was at this hour through the trees so he couldn't gauge what the time was, but he had a feeling it would be soon. The sunflowers were emitting much less light than they would at the height of the day.

"The Tulgey Wood is the that way. There is a... family that would take us in. It's safe. But... if you'd prefer to rely on your magic against darkness, hoards of dragonflies and fireflies, and the queen," he chuckled without much humor and shook his head, "then the castle is in the opposite direction."

~

Jefferson had a terrible time getting out of the castle undetected, but he did after many hours of hiding behind marble statues and a giant, stuffed version of the White Rabbit. Quite horrible what happened to him. Poor Percy... It was rather unfortunate because without the White Rabbit and without his hat, Jefferson wasn't entirely sure how he was going to get out of Wonderland.

He should have snatched that pair of scissors from the chest of that guard before running because now he had no weapons at all. What he wouldn't do for his coat at the moment. It had the dreamberry powder in it. But... he was in Wonderland now. He could actually gather some dreamberries himself. Real ones. Not the Storybrooke Hospital's version of it. And maybe something else for a weapon if he could recall what would pass for a weapon from thirty some odd years before when he had last been in this realm. There were mushrooms for growing and shrinking as well, but he didn't particularly see a need for that.

Once free of the castle, however, he ran around the gigantic maze built by Cora and towards the path that had once led to the looking glass portal before he stopped himself. It wouldn't be open. There was no reason at all for it to be open. He was just going to torture himself by seeking it out. So, instead he walked in another direction and sought out Cheshire among the trees wondering if he was still around. Maybe he could gain some riddling wisdom from the toothsome feline.

Once within the woods, he noticed the glistening, purple berries hanging from a tree with about half a dozen squirrels passed out drunk in a stupor from the potency of the berries. Jefferson smiled. All he had for excess fabric was his shirt or the strips of satin around his wrists, so he untied one of the wrist strips and carefully wrapped it around a bunch of the berries. Best to keep their juices off of his skin or he'd be laying amongst the squirrels before he knew it.

Emma

Emma briefly thought about waiting until after nightfall like Jefferson had said, but she didn't want to waste anymore time. She would have to use magic this way or another, and she preferred to see something.

"I take the castle." Emma made a sweeping gesture with her arm, and magic blurred around them, forming a translucent dome around them like they were in a snow globe.  
"See, we're practically invisible unless someone comes very close. Let's go. And stay close."

Emma headed in the direction Jeff had pointed at, and for a while they walked in silence side by side. It didn't take long and Emma thought she had seen something moving behind a tree that was hanging full of berries. To her astonishment there were several squirrels lying underneath the tree, not dead, as they were still twitching, but obviously passed out.

"I think someone is behind that tree, we better make a detour." As she said so, she caught a glance of a well known figure. "Jeff?" Emma called out, and started running toward the tree and the figure behind it. The bubble that had covered them vanished, but she didn't care.

Jefferson 

Of course she would take the castle rather than safety. He should have known. It was something those 'hero types' did. Or someone with a goal to get back to the person they loved. But then again, she must not really grasp the concept of nightfall in Wonderland yet. Sighing, Jefferson shrugged. "Okay. Don't say I didn't warn you." He shoved his hands in his pockets and followed along with her in her magic bubble. He liked the bubble very much. The colors shimmered quite attractively and it provided safety. Even when he heard the sound of foot steps again, and the chill of nerves shot through him again, he didn't full on panic again like before. This was safe. Staying by the one with magic was safer than bunking with a bunch of hares after all. And he did trust her. The Savior. That did sound quite safe.

He jumped when Emma stopped and spoke again. The squirrels were evidence that the tree was heavy with dreamberries. "Very dangerous stuff, that," he mumbled quietly, but Emma warned of someone lurking behind the tree. Jefferson reached out and grabbed one of the berries and quickly shoved it into his pocket as he watched for the tree and who might be beyond.

But what he saw nearly caused his fingers to squeeze the berry tightly in his fist within the pocket. Himself!

In an instant, Emma was running and the bubble popped leaving Jefferson feeling suddenly very exposed. But the sight of the other Jefferson was too curious to ignore. His hair was much shorter, well-kempt like he used to wear it before, his neck bore the same scar but it was quite healed, and he was wearing HIS shirt! "Hey!" he spoke up. "How did you get my clothes?"

~

Jefferson had been fiddling with the satin material to tie it in a way that it wouldn't let any of the berries fall out. There was an apothecary in the Tulgey Wood that would be able to turn the berries into a powder for him if he could simply remember the way to get there. The juice would be sufficient if ingested, but he couldn't exactly knock someone out as quickly with juice as he could with powder or dust.

Leaving the squirrels to their dreams, Jefferson wandered through the trees in the direction he thought the apothecary might be when he heard his name being yelled. Turning his head, his jaw sagged as he saw Emma appear out of thin air and running towards him. "How..." he started, wondering how the hell she had gotten to Wonderland, when he noticed the figure standing near the squirrels and inquiring about his clothing. It was himself! Longer haired too! It was the other version he saw in the axe reflection!

Jefferson's eyes flew wide as well, but then looked back to Emma as she was approaching and raised his hands as if to brace himself at the sudden impact. The dreamberries in their satin bundle were still clutched in one hand. The stitching around one wrist plainly visible while the black satin strip covered his other wrist.

When she collided into him, the berry packet was squashed between them. The juice splattered purple all upon Emma's exposed skin below her neck, dripped down into her cleavage and stained the lovely dress she had created. Jefferson gasped as he looked down at the sticky goop and the path it was taking before looking back up in astonishment at Emma's face. "Emma..." he said barely in a whisper. His hand was also now coated in the mess. 

He heard his doppelganger behind her whistle as he shook his head approaching with hands in his pockets. The sight of himself looking at him with raw amusement and a touch of madness reddening his eyes was enough to be concerned over, but add to that the dreamberry in quite a potent form? He hadn't realized how ripe the fruit was. It shouldn't be this thick. Thick was bad. That was definitely more potent than the juice would have been.

Emma

Surprised by her own feelings of joy and relief to see Jefferson again, she flung herself into his arm. Something wet and gluey was suddenly all over her neck, and started to run down her cleavage, but Emma didn't care at the moment. She had her Jefferson back. Why was she so happy about it? She was only touching him, and she again felt this strong desire to hug him, fuck him, and never let go of him. "Jeff!" She used her hands to steady his face, and pulled him towards her, kissing him hungrily. Forgotten was the mad hatter, in this moment her Jeff was the only thing in her life that mattered.

She pressed her body even tighter against his, wanted to feel every inch of his body again. "Jeff, I was so worried!" Her words came between in a number of kisses. "You were suddenly gone! And still there, but not you." Emma started to feel lightheaded. Eventually she stopped kissing him all over again, and backed off a bit, looking to and fro between both hatters.

Both men stared at each other, and Emma giggled. They probably would start fighting about the clothes the other wore! This was funny! "If I may introduce... Jeff, this is Jeff. Other Jeff, this is Jeff. The other other Jeff." She couldn't stop giggling. "Jeff freshly beheaded, and Jeff... Emma looked at her Jeff and tried to find something she could use as description. Her eyes fell to his wrist and a wide smile appeared on her lips. "....freshly bewristed." At least now she broke out into laughter. The world started to turn, and everything was so funny!

She almost lost balance when she tried to turn around to the mad Jeff, and fell against the not mad Jeff's chest. Oh, this was going to be the best day in her life! Emma was in high spirits, and right now she wanted Jeff. Naked. No, both Jeff's! Naked! And a squirrel. Wait, why a squirrel? Emma writhed of laughter; she had tears in her eyes, and she couldn't breathe anymore! But it was funny! A tea party in Wonderland under a large tree with delicious looking fruits, two naked Jeff’s and a crowd of fluffy squirrels! Emma laughed even harder, and managed to bring out, while trying to get some air in her lungs, “But we don’t have tea!” Wonderland started to spin around her, and Emma slumped down, still laughing and trying to catch some breath. God, this tea party was SO good! Too bad she didn’t remember when it had started and where the tea had come from. What tea?

Jefferson 

The Hatter version of Jefferson inhaled a lungful of oxygen through his nose, mouth shut firmly, and eyebrows nearly to his hairline as he observed this sudden transformation of Emma the Strangely Not Savior. She was suddenly more mad than he had ever considered her before. He surely thought her mad before but now... now this was an entirely new level of madness. Giddy instead of murderous. Where was the Dormouse when one needed him?

His hands were still in his pockets, one hand still holding one of the dreamberries in contemplation as he carefully edged nearer in observance of this lust-fest. Emma was feverishly kissing another version of himself and that self of his was sputtering and gasping between the kisses apparently unable to get a word in edgewise.

Hatter giggled at the sight. This was completely delightful and hilarious. Perhaps Emma's laughter was contagious, but the short-haired version of himself didn't quite seem as amused, more semi-horrified by the expression he wore. Still, Hatter drew nearer, observing carefully.

And what he saw protruding from Emma's pocket caused Hatter to crane his neck for a better view. The amulet! His hand slapped his own chest, but found it gone. That little sneak stole it from him! These two were not going to leave him behind.

~

Jefferson was completely horrified at what he had just done. Emma had slammed into him and was now coated in the syrupy dreamberry juice. She had plastered herself on him as if she needed him like oxygen, flattering as that was, but she had carelessly gotten it all over him as well. It was all over his clothes, seeping through the material and he already felt it getting on his skin through the shirt. "Emma! Don't you realize..." he started, but she continued to kiss him in her mad delight.

_Oh, gods. She's drunk as fuck. This is bad,_ he thought. Not in this place. Worst place to get drunk...

He flung the remainder of dreamberry squash from his hand and noticed the sticky coating all over his hand as well. Emma nearly knocked him over in her exuberant glee and he had to use both hands to grip her face to try to calm her down.

The purple stain was on her cheek as well and when she kissed him again, he tasted it in his mouth. "Well," he added in resignation when she broke free again and flopped onto the ground harping on about introductions and tea. "We're already contaminated."

Looking up to see his mad version pacing and analyzing them quizzically, he had the uneasy feeling again that he'd have to watch out for him. Recently beheaded, Emma said. The scar rounding his neck was rather red. Redder than his own. "You." Jefferson could feel the effects of the dreamberry beginning to seep into his control. "Don't let the Queen get us, okay? I'm you in the future. You're my... my past. Woah." His eyes nearly rolled up in his head as a wave of dizzy giddiness passed over him.

"Fucking Wonderland," he muttered as he sat down suddenly beside Emma. They were going to end up twitching on the floor like those ridiculous squirrels in a minute. But the squirrels were tiny, and he and Emma were big. They shouldn't pass out, right? "Big. Jefferson. We need the mushroom. Big side." Another delirious wave passed over him and he laughed as he wiped at his face smearing the juice against his stubble.

He turned away from the Hatter and towards Emma and realized she looked like a particularly delicious tea cake in purple, maroons and covered in icing. "You're so pretty. You look like dessert." Laughing, he reached up to touch the purple seeping between her breasts, his palm flattening on her skin to reach into her dress to push the material off of her shoulder. "Wonderland tea is the best tea. You'll see." Scooting closer, he dipped his head to kiss her neck, the side not coated in dreamberry syrup.

But the hilarity of the situation was still getting to him and his shoulders shook with laughter. "But we'll never get to taste a drop because... because the Dormouse is terrified of the Cat!"

~

Hatter rolled his eyes. Funny as the situation was, he was not overcome with giddiness. His fingers left the dreamberry in his pocket. No, he did not want to join into that sort of ridiculousness. He wanted out of Wonderland. And these two morons weren't even thinking of Nightfall which would be any moment now. The sunflowers were so dim, he just knew night would drop so suddenly, they would be left in blackness save for the fire of the flies and dragons. And those little bastards bite, too.

Squatting, Hatter duckwalked slowly closer, his eyes on Emma's pocket. If he could just reach in there, he'd get that amulet and have some bargaining power over these two.

His eyes met his short-haired self. "Mhm, yeah. Mushrooms for growing. Got it. I'll get it for you. But first..." He reached towards Emma, his grin growing as he neared. "Just need one thing..."

Emma

Emma was lying on the ground, tears of laughter streaming down her cheeks, and she still couldn't stop giggling. Her stomach already hurt, but the squirrels around her did better than her. So she tried to ignore the pain, and started a conversation with them.

"Excuse me, Mr. ... Mrs.?" Emma didn't know if the squirrel right beside her was male of female. She attempted to lift its tail to have a better look, but she missed it over and over again. Her fruitless attempt to find out the gender of the furball she wanted to talk to made her laugh even harder. "Can't find it! Sorry..." she apologized, and decided she could talk to it without addressing it as Mr. or Mrs.

"You know, I admire your fur! What shampoo are you using? It's soooo... fur-tastic! fuuuurr--fuuuurrish!! HA! That's a great word, furrish!! JEFF! It's furrish!" She rolled over laughing, and held her belly. 

"Jeffy! Juffy! LOVE!" Her hand fumbled around on the other side, and eventually found him. "Haha! You said muuuuuushroom!" Emma reacted to Jeff's order for the other Jeff. Wait, there was another Jeff? Emma lifted her head slightly. There wasn't only one other Jeff, there were six of him! One stable in the middle, the other five were flying around him.   
She narrowed her eyes, but the whirling Jeff's stayed. Emma closed her eyes, and her head fell back into the grass. Too much Jeffs!

In the next moment another Jeff (what the fuck, how many Jeff's are there, Emma thought) babbled something from dessert. "Tea! I want cake with my tea. I want tea with my cake! I want... you!" Her head rolled to the side where only two Jefferson's were trying to eat her. He had already started at her neck. Ooooh, that felt good!

"I want to be your desert - no, too dry. Dessert!" Her speech was slurred. "Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuushroooooom," she tested her skill in talking. Didn't work. Well, it didn't have to work. Emma tried to undress herself. A dessert was without cherries, wasn't it? She suddenly paused and stared at Jeff. "Wait, I'm terrified of the Cat too!" She glanced at him a few seconds before she burst out into laughter again. Best tea party ever... but where was the tea?

Emma didn't realize the six other Jeff's were sneaking up on her, and she didn't realize that one of the six Jeff's stole something precious from her. She was far too busy to try to get her dress off of her so the other two Jeff's could have their dessert without squirrels... cherries. Fuck! The tea was too strong, she would get a headache of it! 

Jefferson 

Emma was fumbling with her dress, but her laughter was getting louder and louder to the point where Jefferson had to sit up and press his hands flat against his ears. The booming might make his head explode with how loud the sound was getting. He squeezed his eyes shut so tightly that he almost missed seeing what the Hatter was doing. Almost. There was a jarring of Jefferson's foot then as if someone had tripped over him, and his eyes sprang open to see the mad version sprawling face first into the nest of sleeping squirrels and a glittering amulet clutched in hand.

Jefferson gasped at the sight of the amulet. He knew exactly what that was. Scrambling as best he could to get off of his ass, he ended up climbing over Emma in his haste and grabbed a shirtful - his own shirt he realized again - of the Hatter. "Give me that!"

"It's mine!" the Hatter yelled as he kicked out trying to get Jefferson off of him. "I found it!"

Meanwhile, Jefferson clambered over Emma, and while grappling with his other self, smeared the syrup onto the Hatter as well.

The previously sleeping squirrels began shrieking at being thus disturbed and rudely waked and leapt up and onto Emma in their attempt at not being squashed, she being the most still of the three of them. Burrowing into her hair and the folds of her dress, the shrieking continued.

Hatter found his face pressed into the dirt as Jefferson pushed against the back of his head in attempt to stabilize himself, but the world was still spinning drunkenly against his efforts. He couldn't seem to get the amulet as the Hatter was waving it about wildly out of his reach.

Suddenly, Jefferson felt a piercing bite to his hip and jerked to the side thus kneeing a squirrel off of himself. That was when he saw that Emma was covered in squirrels. "Emma! They've gone rabid!" he yelled, but the sound of his own voice boomed in his ears and he winced in reaction.

Hatter found a moment without grasping hands all over him and managed to wriggle out of Jefferson's grasp and stood backing away from the madness on the ground. He held up his hand which held the sparkling amulet and grinned. "Looking for this? It's mine. If you want it, I want a deal." He leaned forward, the grin widening, and even through Jefferson's stupor, he thought only the mad make deals with madness. And the Hatter ran.

Jefferson sat on his heels watching the retreating figure disappear from sight before looking back to Emma with her squirrels. Shaking his head, he plucked one up by the tail and threw it carelessly over his shoulder. The world felt so incredibly heavy as if the gravitational pull had gotten to be too much. "Fucking Wonderland," he said again before slipping face down into the dirt next to Emma.

Emma

Emma became tired. Maybe it was time for a nap. She stopped trying to get her dress off, and instead grabbed a squirrel that lay nearby and used it as pillow. A terrible loud shriek echoed in her ear, and Emma startled, lifting her head just long enough to the squirrel could flee. Emma grumbled. Her pillow had run away. She was just about to use her hand instead when Jefferson climbed over her, demanding for something.

Now, that was going to be interesting. Emma giggled again, and rolled to the other side so she could see what was happening. Six circling Jeff's were in a clinch with two. That made eight! Emma convulsed in laughter. Then she got distracted from a lot of squirrels that were suddenly on her and started to crawl into her dress! Now, that was too much.   
"Nononono! If I want a fuuuuurish coat I'll tell you!" She heard Jefferson yelling a warning about 'gone rabid'. "Oh really!" She answered with dry sarcasm. "I thought they only wanted a cup of tea!" 

She felt some painful bites, but most of the squirrels were tickling her with their tails. So Emma mixed up laughing and screaming in pain. She didn't pay attention to any of the eight Jefferson's anymore, but tried to get rid of her new friends.

Jefferson had obviously decided to join her on the ground, as he landed face down directly beside her. Emma squeaked when a squirrel dared to bite her right into her breast.  
Without she even realizing it, a wave of magic erupted from Emma, and scattered in wave form away from her, throwing all squirrels off of her and Jefferson as well. The furballs ran away in panic, and suddenly it became silent. "Fucking tea party," Emma mumbled before the dreamberries knocked her out eventually.

Jefferson 

Jefferson was having a nightmare. The Queen was whispering into her elephant trunk to the Knave, "Off with his head." He heard her despite the whisper and he tried to back away. He knew what would happen if he didn't move. But instead of the axe swiping at his throat, he saw the Hatter, the mad version of himself stroll casually towards him, two hands gripping the handle of Bertilak's axe. The smirk on Hatter's face was sickeningly smug. Jefferson shook his head, tried to step backwards, away, anything to avoid the axe again, but Hatter raised the axe while grinning. 'She's mine. Grace, Emma, Storybrooke. You're staying here so I can leave!'

Jefferson screamed as the axe swiped downwards. Sitting up abruptly, the scream died on his lips when he realized it had been a dream. His hands, still thankfully quite attached felt the squish of berries at his side and the wood of a tree as well, but he could barely see a damned thing! The only things he could see were brief sparks of light intermittent in the distance.

"Oh. Shit. Nightfall," he mumbled in alarm when he realized what those sparks were. "Fireflies."

How long had he been out? What he wouldn't give for his cell phone with its bright flashlight on it.

And where the hell was Emma? Or his conniving doppelganger for that matter? The bastard had gotten hold of Emma's amulet, too. The thing that had the ability to... what had she said? Separate her from Emma, the Savior? "Oh right. Because I fell for the Dark One. Great." He could hear the sarcasm in his voice and didn't care one whit if Emma was near enough to have heard him, too. That was how he'd gotten into this entire mess in the first place. Stuck in Wonderland after getting his hands chopped off in Camelot for thievery, too, no thanks to his very own true love accusing him of molesting her.

He stood carefully even though he couldn't see, and struck his head on a branch of a tree. Quite a low tree at that. But then he recalled the proximity of the dreamberry tree and figured somehow he had ended up under it. At least the powerful effects of the sedative had worn off. How long had he been out? There was no telling.

Crouching, and with a hand out to brace himself against further obstructions, Jefferson attempted to pat around himself to figure out where he was.

"Emma? You still here?" he called, low-voiced lest he gain the attention of those ferocious fireflies or dragonflies. Their bite could swell up for a week if left untreated. "Emma?"

Emma

Like Jefferson Emma was haunted by a nightmare too. However, in her case it was chaotic probably of the amount of dreamberry juice she had been covered in. There were drunken squirrels, a lot of them, chasing her around the dreamberry tree, for hours as it seemed! The eight Jeffersons were forming a circle around the tree, but no one didn't help her. When Emma tried to break out she was suddenly restrained by a chain, that ended around the tree and was connected to a metal collar she was wearing.

If that wasn't enough, every time Emma slowed down, and a squirrel managed to bite her, one of the Jefferson's bursted, and vanished in a cloud of blood, bones and entrails.  
Emma screamed, and tears ran down her cheeks, but she continued running. After a while she was exhausted, and in the meantime she was down to two Jefferson that were left.

"I'm so sorry, I can't... I-I can't..." Emma collapsed on the ground, and the squirrels covered her. Seconds later the last Jefferson's were erased, and Emma felt the rodents tearing chunks of flesh out of her. A scream of pure horror came out of her mouth and suddenly Jefferson was standing over her, smiling. "Nice game we played, but this time *I* won."

"Emma?" There was another voice whispering, a soft voice... The squirrels vanished, as well as Jefferson, and Emma came slowly to. Her head felt oddly swollen, not to mention that it was hammering. Emma moaned, and opened her eyes. She could see nothing. Everything was dark. "Jeff?" Her hand started to move, fumbling around in the pitch black.   
Her memories came back, and then she heard Jeff whispering her name near her.

"I'm here. Ugh, I feel like shit. Damn tea party." Since Emma had no idea about fireflies or any other dangerous creatures in the Wonderland-night (she did recall the other Jeff had said something, but she couldn't remember) she didn't whisper, but spoke normally.

Jefferson 

Hearing the familiar voice nearby, Jefferson smirked. "Hangover?" he quietly asked with humor in his voice. She sounded as if she was on the ground. He last remembered her giggling near the squirrels and since the tree was just behind him, he had a decent picture in mind of where he was and where any other bushes or impediments lay.

Taking his time, Jefferson attempted to make his way to Emma as quietly as possible. Since the only thing he could see were the distant motes of light produced by the carnivorous insects, he kept his eyes on them as he approached.

His boot struck something and figuring it may be Emma, he reached down to feel her hair first, then his palm scooped down to her cheek as he squatted beside her, his hands running along her skin checking for any injury from the squirrels. "Wonderland tea parties are truly inconceivable. Even the best of us go a little mad here."

Leaning near her ear, he asked in the quietest of whispers, "Have you any idea where our... friend went?" Still listening, he heard no footsteps or other signs of breathing except for Emma's. In a way, he hoped the Hatter ran far, far from them because if that nightmare he'd had was any sort of foreshadowing, he didn't want him anywhere near Emma.

Emma

“Uhg, definitely a morning after I don’t ever want to be reminded to.” Emma massaged her forehead and eyes. She awaited to see at least something, no night was that pitch black. She thought it would be her, but after she felt more awake than before she still couldn’t see anything. Except for some strange dots that were hovering in some distance. Could be also a result of her hangover. 

“Jeff? Why can’t I see anything? Does this damn Wonderland have no moon?” Then she felt something in her hair that patted down her face. It was Jeff’s hand. She closed her eyes for a moment. His touches were gentle and Emma became aware how much she had missed this. Then Jeff asked her about the other Jeff, and for the first time Emma thought about her amulet. The fucking bastard had stolen it!

Emma felt anger rising, and said, “unfortunately not, but there’s a way to find out. But first we need some light. I can’t see anything.” She sat up, and a faint shimmer appeared around her hand when she intended to use her magic to create a ball of light.

Jefferson 

A moon? How curious. "Not that I've noticed. When night falls, it blankets the land."

Emma's tone changed as she sat up. It seemed she was feeling back to normal.

Sitting back on his heels, Jefferson squinted at the light produced in Emma's hand. "Um, Emma... That's not really a good idea." He hesitated as he looked away from the brightness and towards the insects.

Unfortunately, they noticed the light. The night had been mostly silent save for themselves, but with the light being noticed, a swiftly growing buzz became near a roar. The little motes of light became collective masses of fireballs as they began to zoom towards the two.

Not bothering to keep quiet anymore, Jefferson's eyes shot wide as he yelled. "Shit! Run!" Grabbing Emma's hand, Jefferson tried to pull her up to her feet.

Emma

“Why not? It’s just a ball of light. I can’t see anything.” Something in Jeff’s voice was different. He almost sounded… scared. The glowing vanished, and suddenly Emma knew why Jeff had tried to warn her.

“What the hell?” Emma said when the silence was broken by a noise Emma had never heard before. She looked into the direction Jeff was staring, and where the noise came from.  
She saw two fireballs coming right at her, and Jefferson yelled to run.

Emma felt him grabbing her hand, and she tried to get to her feet as quick as possible without stumbling.

“Why are we running?” Emma asked while they started to run, what was the worst idea in the darkness. “Ouch!” Emma stepped into an unevenness and almost fell. “Wait, we can’t run in the pitch black. We need some light.” This time Emma decided to wait what Jefferson would say before she conjured another bolt of light.

Jefferson 

"Do you want to get torched?" he asked rhetorically as he pulled on Emma to hurry.

By this time, the fireballs were zooming overhead. One stray flame shot out towards Jefferson and he felt the heat on his ear. He ducked just as Emma nearly fell and he lost hold of her. "Keep your light on and they won't give up!"

If only he knew how long they had been asleep and he could guess how much longer nightfall would last. But as it was, he had no idea.

The mass of fire loomed nearby and began its return in their direction.

"We need... a diversion. Throw your light away from us. Maybe they'll follow it!" He ducked again as the fire raced overhead.

\--

Meanwhile, Hatter had found himself a cozy place to lay low during nightfall and easily found himself drifting off to sleep with the amulet tucked safely in his pocket despite the sporadic yells in the distance. It was the first time he had been able to actually sleep since leaving the Enchanted Forest.

Emma

“Can’t we simply use an extinguisher?” Emma retorted dryly while she ducked away when the flame targeted Jefferson at her side. When Emma stumbled Jefferson was gone.  
“Damn! I really can’t stand Wonderland!”

She heard Jefferson asking for a diversion, but Emma thought she could do better. “Plus I’m really pissed!” She turned angrily, and focused on the large… whatever they were, and a dome shimmered around her. It spent enough light so Jeff could see it. “Get in here,” Emma shouted, and was simultaneously forming a large ball of water between her hands.

She aimed at the nearest fire thing, and tossed it against it. She had no idea if a water globe was enough to kill this thing, but in case not, she could do something else. To hell with Wonderland and its mad creatures - she had magic! And she intended to use it. “Jeff, what else can kill these things?” She asked, just to be prepared.

Jefferson 

Jefferson scrambled up hunched over lest the bastards singe him again when he saw Emma's safety dome. It was producing a faint enough light that he could see the border of it. Seeing that the fireball was shooting straight towards them again, he opted to trust Emma that her magic would indeed protect them this time. Lunging towards the dome, he threw himself at it, only partially expecting to get blasted backwards when he struck it, but he went through without a problem, and landed on his elbows and chest.

Emma threw something at the fireball and when it struck, a splash of water striking fire caused a steaming cloud and a quench sound to radiate around them through the woods.

Flipping over to sit up, Jefferson noted several small things flipping around in the leaves outside the protection of the dome. Leaning forward, he could just make out the shadows of miniature dragons flopping like landed fish. "You did it," he said in surprise as he blinked at the sight. "I mean, of course you did. Your magic can do wonders, but... that did the trick."

Laughing, still in disbelief, he rubbed off the dirt that was sticking to the side of his face, and side-eyed Emma with a grin. "I'd say killing them isn't necessary. They're extinguished."

Emma

Emma smiled coldly. She felt satisfaction when the fire thing vanished in water and smoke, and it felt good to know her magic was powerful enough to defy Wonderland.  
She turned to Jeff, and brushed off some imaginary dirt from her hands. “I’m in the mood to find your doppelgänger and kick his ass right now. Any idea where he could be? I mean, where would you hide if you were him. I know you are him, technically, but if you weren’t him, and had to think you’d be him.” Emma rolled her eyes when she realized she was babbling. “I think you know what I mean. Fucking tea party and fucking Wonderland.” She looked around to make sure there was no other fiery attack to await. “So, which direction?”

Emma felt like she was unstoppable at the moment. She was angry enough to go right to the Queen of Hearts, and crush her heart. And she was angry enough to behead the thief-Jeff once more. And then she wanted her Jeff… again! God! It was still there, this feeling either to kill someone (or something) or have sex with him!   
Since she felt the satisfaction of having killed something, she could hold back for a while, but she wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

“Are there any more surprises we could run into if I use some light?” Emma asked.

Jefferson 

Jefferson slowly stood and brushed the dirt off of his trousers. The dome seemed to stretch to accommodate his height. At the mention of her wishing to harm a version of himself, Jefferson winced uncomfortably. His eyes fell to his uncovered wrist with the ugly stitching. This was what happened when Emma, his very own Dark Swan, lashed out. He also noticed the dark color staining his palm. Opening it wide, he stretched his hand in front of his face in the darkness. 

Emma also had the stain on her chest, he recalled, and looked towards her cleavage before sighing. She was babbling quite a bit, atypical for Emma. "Is that stuff still affecting you?" Maybe it wasn't and she was just flustered from being in this mad land. He certainly didn't wish to be there any longer either, but he knew they weren't leaving until at least one thing was settled.

"I saw him run off in that direction," Jefferson stated drily. He gestured past the dreamberry tree. "I gather you noticed he took your amulet? And uh, use your light. I guess we don't have anything to worry about with your magic. Would've been nice if you had done something to stop Bertilak and not helped him chop off my hands," he said with a note of acerbity. Crossing his arms over his chest, he glared at her with the exposed wrist showing.

Emma

“What stuff?” Emma asked, not knowing what he was referring to, because there was so much! “The fire thingies? Squirrels? Wonderland? Mad hatters who run off with my stuff? Smoking caterpillars? Unnatural colors? Or high intoxicating drugs that grow on trees or bushes and give you a ride and a headache?” It was a good feeling to express her anger eventually, but then realized Jeff must have spoken about the berries as he was giving his hand a closer look, and Emma could see the dark stain. “Yeah, I guess the fucking Wonderland drug might still give me a bit of the madness here.” She looked down at her dress, and her neckline, seeing she was still covered with the stuff. 

Slightly annoyed because she didn’t think of it earlier, she used her magic to clean both of them. It was like Emma stepped out of a wall of fog. As soon as the berry juice was gone most of the crazy stuff she was thinking of vanished. She took a deep breath. “Much better.” She gave a questioning look at Jefferson, seeing if the effect was similar for him.  
Although he pointed in one direction where the thief had fled, and mentioned the missing amulet, he seemed to be pissed about something. Emma didn’t have to wait long for it, and rolled her eyes combined with a sigh.“In case you didn’t notice, Jeff, I was tied to the bars with a rope that made it impossible for me to use my hands and do some magic, and when I finally was free, I did some magic intending to save your precious hands. That’s probably the reason why you landed in this crazy world, and I had to deal with a mad version of you, not to mention an axe wielding wannabe-king who thought he is the most powerful sorcerer in all realms!”

Emma snatched his hand, and used her magic another time and the scars disappeared. “No big deal, see - everything as is should be. And just to make that clear - my magic worked. Mirror-Jeff kept his hands. So, if you wouldn’t have traded places with him….” She rubbed her forehead, and gave Jeff an apologizing look. “See, I’m sorry, Jeff. But I’m not sorry for what we did in the cell.” She gave him a sassy smile, intending to provoke him a bit, and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I’d like to continue that, but first we have to find your alter ego. You said this direction?”

Jefferson 

"Right. I get it," Jefferson snapped back when Emma started ranting back at him. "I didn't choose to come back to Wonderland. So you're telling me you sent me here to this hellish land after chopping off my hands. Thanks. No wonder you're not the Savior." 

Despite the fact that neither of them asked for any of this, he couldn't help thinking had he just grabbed his hat and Grace and escaped before he answered the door so many hours ago it seemed like weeks by now, he wouldn't have been in this predicament. 

He leaned closer to her face even after she healed his wrists and she kissed him. This kiss was a reminder of what they had and though he felt the thrum of desire beneath the kiss, he was too angry to focus on it or reign in his temper. "And another thing! Grace wouldn't be frozen in crystal! All of your decisions have hurt me. I'll lead the way. I'll make the decisions and see if we fare better. Fine by you?" Despite his anger, his eyes still flicked down to her lips, but he pulled her arms away from his neck, not waiting for her response. "If this amulet is so important, let's go find it." 

Turning away from Emma, he stepped out of her safety bubble and back into the darkness. Unfortunate about that because now he couldn't see anything outside of what little light was produced by the bubble, but his pride and his hackles were still raised. 

He stomped noisily around the dreamberry tree into the direction he last remembered Hatter going. It was the direction Jefferson had originally intended to go after plucking a bunch of the berries from the tree and towards the Tulgey Wood. That's where he would have gone anyway. But did he really want to lead Emma that way, too, to throttle a version of himself? Maybe she'd take her anger with him out of his doppelganger, as she'd said. He was too hot tempered at the moment to care.

Emma

Emma’s halfway good mood dropped, and was completely gone after Jefferson blamed her for… well, almost everything. She was boiling of anger, as she was definitely _not_ in the mood of taking any shit from him. Emma was so angry about him simply walking away that she prepared to stop him with magic, but then she suddenly realized his anger was probably more caused of being back in Wonderland. No wonder, thinking of the mad hatter version of him she almost could understand how it must affect him to have traded places again with the “younger” version of him. He had been thrown back into his past only to see history repeat itself. And to make it worse, he hadn’t only been beheaded but behanded as well. Emma took a deep breath to calm down. She was still angry about the way he had just reacted, and it wasn’t her fault her magic had interacted with the axe. She couldn’t know it was a magical axe from wonderland, and she really had intended to save him. Didn’t she heal his hands? Emma rolled her eyes and pressed her lips together. 

“Keep calm,” she told herself when she eventually stopped Jeff with her magic. It wouldn’t hurt him, just prevent him from walking any further away. She had to soothe him somehow, and Emma knew only one way to do this. She hated it. She hurried after him. “Jeff, wait. I’m sorry! I really am,” she said, and stopped right in front of him. “Please don’t walk away like that.” She tried very hard to be gentle, and lifted the spell instantly so he would be free to go if he wanted to. “I really tried to save you from that axe, how could I know my magic would cause all this? I didn’t want to lose you! See, I could have let you here after I got the amulet, but I came back. For you! Please Jeff, I’m sorry!” She had reached for his hand, and if he would allow it she’d stroke with her thumb gently over the back of his hand while her eyes were locked onto his, giving him an apologizing and desperate look. _Ugh, this is so disgusting,_ Emma thought as she tried to convince him she really would be sorry. Well, partly she was, but the darkness in her wasn’t used to really feel pity for him. She did truly love him, but in her own way.

Jefferson 

Jefferson had no sooner cleared the drooping branches of the dreamberry tree when his boot seemed to sink into the ground. He jerked and pulled at the knees, but he was completely stuck. Again. In Wonderland. He shot an angry glare over his shoulder and could see Emma approaching in a hurry in her dimly lit bubble. He continued to glare at her as she stopped in front of him.

Crossing his arms over his chest again, he gave her a bored look as she explained. There was a loosening around his feet and he nearly fell over as he realized he could move again, but stuck his hand out to grip a tree limb to steady himself.

Even still, he watched as Emma explained, looked for any trace of deception in her expression that she was deceiving him again, but... she seemed to be sincere. Emma, the savior and the dark swan, had talked like this to him before, and he had fallen for her doe eyed looks and promises, one too many times.

He had to drop his eyes from hers or he'd be drawn in again. Instead, he looked at her hand as she stroked his. He had many options. But one thing was certain: he needed her.

Curling his fingers around her hand, he squeezed briefly. "I'm glad you came back for me." He jerked his head towards the deeper parts of the woods. "Come on. With any luck, nightfall will be over soon. It never lasts more than a few hours."

And just as if he had summoned the notion, daybreak began. The darkness of the sky cracked like an egg. It would look like a bolt of lightning creasing across the sky, but an instant later, it broke apart into sudden, full daylight. Jefferson sighed loudly as he squinted his eyes at the sudden brightness and too-vivid colors. "Daybreak is just as literal as nightfall. I hate this place."

One look at Emma showed that she had magically cleaned the staining berry juice from herself. He was also just as cleaned up. The scars on his wrist were gone like they never had been there. But he didn't forget. He never forgot anything.

And so he picked up his feet and continued walking towards the Tulgey Wood, still holding on to Emma's hand.

Emma

She knew he wasn’t buying it. His reaction was… too short for falling for her. Well, at least he seemed to have calmed down a bit. She would have to work on him later, and longer. Giving him something so he would trust her again. And she needed to get rid of that pathetic adjunct as known as Grace. He was only thinking about her, but he should only think about Emma! Well, that would become her problem later. Now they had to find the mad version of Jeff. Something Emma was already looking forward to. She would either make his madness worse, increase his pain, or simply kill him for betraying her.

She allowed Jeff to take her by her hand and pull her with her when suddenly day set in. Without any dawning. The night simply… broke, and Emma blinked in the sudden daylight. She heard Jeff swearing, and felt the need to agree to him. “You’re not the only one. I simply should bring some order into this chaos.” She followed him, not really curious where he would lead her, but hoping it wasn’t far away. She really wanted to get out of here! 

Jefferson

Apparently, the Hatter made a mess through either the darkness in the woods, or he was just careless. There was a massacre of broken sunflowers with their lights merely sparking as they lay bent over and broken in death, he guessed. "Dramatic flowers," he grumbled. He was in no mood for the surrounding flowers' wailing over the loss of their fallen... comrades? Whatever. He followed over the same path which caused the surrounding sunflowers to point their bright rays of light at them as they shouted accusations at them. "Why does every single plant in this land have to speak? For once, I actually miss Storybrooke."

Walking faster, the number of sunflowers eventually diminished as the trees began to thicken. A leaning sign ahead read, TULGEY WOOD. This was where the Hatter's path became much more difficult to decipher. Scratching his face, Jefferson looked in either direction for a sign of something that would stand out, but saw nothing.

He would have to make a decision. He'd been to this land before, not Emma. "Unless you have any ideas on which way to go..." He paused again looking at their options before adding, "Then I suppose we could go..."

Another sign, which wasn't helpful at all read, _THIS WAY_ with an opposing sign reading, _THAT WAY._ "That way. At least, that's what I would choose." Maybe the Hatter did, too. Or if the bastard was lucky at all, he would have chosen the other way, but there was no sign for _THE OTHER WAY,_ so who even knew in this land?

In the meantime, as they walked, Jefferson puzzled over why the other version of himself would want to steal from Emma. He didn't know her aside from their brief acquaintance in Camelot and the jump to get to Wonderland. But Jefferson did recall Hatter yelling, "I want a deal!" before running off.

"So," Jefferson drawled as he side-eyed Emma. "Hatter said he wanted a deal before he left. I take it he wants out of Wonderland? Anything else? You must've made him pretty angry to steal from you." She had a knack for it after all. He didn't bother to hide the smirk on his face.

Emma

Jeff led her through a field of wailing sunflowers. "What the hell are these things?" Emma asked. Wonderland was becoming too much for her mind. Jeff saying 'dramatic flowers' served her as satisfying answer, actually she didn't want to know further details. This land sucked!

But with wailing flowers it wasn't over. When they reached the _Tulgey Wood_ Emma saw the next level of craziness. "What the hell is wrong with this land? Isn't here _anything_ normal?" She ranted when she saw the signs. "How the hell am I supposed to know where your damn copy decided to go?" she said angrily. She had never been so annoyed in her life. Not about Jeff, but Wonderland and the madness! Jeff seemed to have decided that _THAT WAY_ was his preferred choice instead of _THIS WAY,_ and Emma followed him lowly swearing about Wonderland.

After a while Jeff asked her about what happened between mad Jeff and her, and Emma only shrug her shoulders. "He may had said something like that, yes. You know, I had some difficulties to get him here to save you." Emma had no intention to reveal the truth how she 'persuaded' Jeff to bring her here. "But if I'm not mistaken he may have said it should be possible to bring three persons back, I don't know. That damn fruit I was exposed to gives me a headache. Not to mention this land. I just know this freaking bastards stole my amulet!" Emma was boiling again. Maybe she was getting mad too. Thinking of the condition he made before he stole what was hers, she asked Jeff about the possibility to bring him back at all. "Was he right? Is there a way for him to leave Wonderland together with us?" Emma didn't want him to leave, she had had enough of his madness, and two Jeffersons running around in Storybrooke was not something she wanted to see, but she was curious.

Jefferson

_"We_ are the ones who aren't normal here, Emma," Jefferson said drily as he smirked at Emma's similar dislike of Wonderland. "We don't belong. More reason to get the hell out and soon. And I doubt any version of myself would be interested in getting caught by an angry Dark Swan, dear. He isn't going to be easy to find." 

He slowed his pace as he considered her anger. Both were angry with each other, and Jefferson wasn't too pleased with the Hatter either, but... "Do you have to... Can you... maybe not hurt him? He's me after all. He wants out as badly as we do. He can't go with us though. Two in, three out is not a possibility." 

He said this without thinking at first because the hat's rules were not to be trifled with, but after it was out of his mouth, the possibility began to sink in. There was a way, but not one that was an option for them. Too risky. That sort of trifling with magic would definitely cause karma to bite him in the ass. He would be the one to pay the price, he was certain. But to knowingly leave a part of himself in this land when all he wanted was to get back to Grace? That pained him greatly.

Jefferson's expression crumpled as he looked away from Emma.


End file.
